India linked to Maldives opposition's Move to oust President Muizzu: report

Maldivian Democratic Party's opposition leaders sought $6 million from India in order to aid a plot designed to impeach Maldive’s President Mohamed Muizzu, reported The Washington Post.

The plan was detailed by an internal document by the name of “Democratic Renewal Initiative” and the United States-based newspaper said it had obtained it.

Maldivian Opposition leaders had proposed bribing 40 MPs, including those from Muizzu’s People’s National Congress, to vote to impeach the president, according to The Washington Post.

Moreover, the leaders had also allegedly proposed to pay 10 senior Maldivian Army and police officers, and three “powerful criminal gangs”.

The report stated: “To pay off the various parties, the conspirators sought 87 million Maldivian Rufiyaa, or $6 million, and according to two Maldivian officials, it would be sought from India.”

However, as per the report, the plot did not materialise and “India did not pursue or finance an attempt to oust him”.

It is important to note that this comes months after India withdrew all its military personnel stationed in the Maldives.

Removing the Indian military from his country was a key election promise for Muizzu, who is considered to hold a favourable stance towards China.

Muizzu asked India to remove its military presence from the Maldives a day after coming to power on November 18, 2023, as he met Union minister Kiren Rijiju in Malé.

The Modi-ruled country was the only foreign power with a military presence in Maldives.

Additionally, a group of Indian defence personnel had been maintaining radar stations and surveillance aircraft in the archipelago. Warships of India also help patrol the Maldives’ exclusive economic zone.

Amid its geopolitical competition with China in the Indian Ocean region, this collaboration and the general partnership with Male was of strategic importance to New Delhi.

Officials from India’s foreign intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing allegedly discussed the plot to impeach Muizzu with Opposition leaders in the Maldives in January 2024, according to The Washington Post’s report.

The newspaper by quoting an unidentified adviser to the Muizzu family reported that a senior Research and Analysis Wing officer stationed in Washington explored a plan which was made to overthrow the Maldivian president with two Indian intermediaries.