President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has stated that the previous agreement allowed Indian troops to stay on one platform indefinitely.

In an interview with Sangu TV yesterday, the President said that under the new agreement, Indian civilians will be employed and stationed on three platforms of India, for a set period.

"One of the platforms did not have any time limitations set before the negotiations we held, allowing them to stay indefinitely in the Maldives. I cannot say exactly which platform. The other two platforms had a period. We have set a period of one or two years from our negotiations. This information can also be obtained from the Foreign Ministry. Therefore, a period has been fixed and civilians will be stationed for the operation," he said.

The President said that despite criticism that the withdrawal of Indian troops was not being done properly, the results were being seen. He stressed that troops are being withdrawn under a schedule set mutually. The people will believe that he is fulfilling his promise, he said.

The President said he wanted to have Maldivians on all three platforms, but it would take time for training. Therefore, he decided to let Indian civilians in as operators as an intermediate solution to achieve the target of withdrawal of troops, he said.

The withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives is the President's biggest presidential promise. The two countries have agreed to withdraw Indian troops from one of the three aviation platforms in the country by the 10th of this month.

Under the agreement, Indian civilians arrived in the Maldives late last month to fly the helicopter stationed in Gan, Addu City. The two countries have also agreed to withdraw Indian troops from the two platforms stationed in Hanimaadhoo and Kaddhoo before May 10.