
India has already recalled 76 soldiers from Maldives. (Representative))
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The Maldivian military still lacks pilots capable of flying the three planes donated by India, Defense Minister Ghassan Mamoon has admitted, days after 76 Indian defense personnel left the island nation at the behest of Maldivian President Mohammad Mueez. After
Ghassan Mamoon made these remarks to the media at a press conference held at the headquarters here on Saturday, informing the Indian troops stationed in the Maldives about operating two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft and replacing them with nationals from India.
In response to a question from a journalist, Ghassan Mamoon said that there are no Maldivian soldiers with the Maldivian National Defense Force (MNDF) who can fly the three planes donated by the Indian Army, although some soldiers have tried to fly them. had begun training, who were being trained to fly them under the previous contract. Governments
“Since it was a training that had to go through different stages, our soldiers did not reach the completion due to various reasons. So at the moment there is no one in our force who has two helicopters and a Dornier. aircraft licensed or fully operational to fly,” Ghassan Mamoon was quoted as saying by Adhadhu.com news portal.
Relations between the two countries came under severe strain when pro-China leader Muizzu insisted on recalling all Indian military personnel working on three aviation platforms in the island nation by May 10. India has already recalled 76 army personnel.
However, the Maldivian government has no intention of evacuating the Senahia Military Hospital doctors from India, a Maldivian media report said.
Contrary to Ghassan Mamoun's remarks, when senior officials of the current administration were in opposition during the past five years, they criticized the previous government and claimed that the MNDF had qualified pilots, Adhadhu.com reported.
It said that the main reason for the arrival of Indian troops with helicopters donated during the regimes of former presidents Mohammad Nasheed and Abdullah Yameen and Dornier aircraft brought during the regime of former president Ibrahim Mohammad Saleh was for training in the Maldives.
Despite the failure to complete the training till date, Foreign Minister Zameer said on Saturday that the agreement to replace Indian troops with civilians also includes provisions to train local pilots.
(Other than the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)