India-Maldives: Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzo, acting at the behest of China, has alleged that his predecessor Ibrahim Mohammed Solih was acting on the orders of foreign ambassadors. However, Muizou did not name any country or ambassador. President Muizzu made this allegation in response to a question during an interview. He was asked about the opposition's criticism over the recent purchase of military drones.
The interview aired Thursday night. Ahead of parliamentary elections in the country, the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has started attacking Muizzo on various issues. Earlier this month it was announced that the Maldives had purchased surveillance drones from Turkey for the first time to patrol its vast exclusive economic zone and efforts were underway to set up a drone base to operate military drones.
Asked about the drone criticism, Muizzo said the main opposition party, the MDP, was in power from 2018 to 2023 and also had an overwhelming majority in parliament. But the party failed to protect the independence of Maldives and left it in the hands of a foreign country
Muizou said that former President Solih acted on the orders of foreign ambassadors which resulted in widespread damage. However, he did not specify which country he was referring to. He said that we have lost freedom in many ways including economic. Despite all this they will not accept our efforts to resolve this and bring the country back on the path that the people of Maldives want.
It is believed that Muizzu's statement is targeted at India. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was the President during 2018–23. His government implemented India First policy. Maldives was one of the main beneficiaries of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. During Solih's tenure, New Delhi spent billions of dollars on development and infrastructure projects in the Maldives.