Maldives resumes medical evacuations with Indian Dornier & helicopters; President Muizzu thanks Delhi

Maldives resumes medical evacuations with Indian Dornier & helicopters; President Muizzu thanks Delhi

Maldives has resumed using a Dornier aircraft and two helicopters that were gifted by India for medical evacuations after the two nations have come to an agreement regarding the repatriation of Indian military personnel who are in charge of the three aviation platforms there, said media reports on Saturday

President Mohamed Muizzu, known for his pro-China views, has expressed gratitude to India for making it possible for medical evacuation services using Indian civilian aviation personnel to resume.

As reported by news portal Edition.mv, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) informed local media that the supply of medical evacuation by the Dornier planes and helicopters has resumed, this time with the civilian crew sent from India.

The MNDF posted on X that the two medical situations were handled on Friday night.

The helicopters and Dornier planes were formerly flown by Indian military personnel, and they were halted shortly after President Muizzu took office in November of last year.

Within hours of his swearing-in, President Muizzu demanded that Indian military forces be repatriated from his country, riding to power on the wave of "India Out" sentiments.

According to an agreement between India and Maldives in February this year, all Indian military personnel were to return in batches by May 10 and India kept its word. The military personnel were replaced by civilians as India did not take back the Dornier aircraft and the helicopters it had gifted to the Maldives some years ago.

According to the news source Adhadhu.com, Indians are stationed in Laamu Kadhdhoo and Seenu Gan to operate the helicopters, and in Hanimaadhoo to operate the Dornier planes. The islands are home to 76 Indians in all.

It further stated that at the official ceremony of the 59th Independence Day yesterday night at the youth center, President Muizzu declared the commencement of medical evacuations using the aircraft.

It was the first time a patient was transferred to Male via the India platform since civilians took the place of military soldiers. The Sun.mv news portal cited Muizzu as stating, "I thank the Indian government for this."

According to the news source, the administration was criticized for not utilizing the Dornier or the helicopters in cases of medical crises, therefore it decided to resume operating the aircraft.

It also stated that before the medical evacuations using the Dornier aircraft resumed, the Indian military helicopters in Kadhdhoo and Addu were flown on a regular basis. There has been no response from the government.

The Indian government provided the helicopter, which was made by Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, a public sector aerospace and defense business, to send the civilian employees.

“They will manage aviation platforms in Hanimaadhoo, Kadhdhoo and Gan. Their contract expires in 2026,” Sun.mv added.

The Indian peninsula is situated to the southwest of the Maldives archipelago, with Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, situated approximately 600 kilometers distant. Maldivians have been traveling to Kerala and other southern Indian states for routine medical care and even emergency care for decades.

In the meantime, the Maldives launched the National Air Ambulance service a few months ago. It uses a seaplane and a modified Dash 8 aircraft.

The president discussed "Loan Restructuring and Debt Management" later on Saturday at a ceremony commemorating the 59th anniversary of the Maldives' independence here in Male, particularly in light of its financial bilateral relations with China and India.

“The President acknowledged the significant contributions of China and India in assisting with the Maldives’ debt repayment efforts. India has deferred a USD 50 million loan and provided food quotas for two more years.

China has given the green light to defer loans from the Exim Bank for various development projects for the next five years, with no interest payments during this period,” Truth.mv reported.

Free trade talks with the UK are also underway, and there is renewed optimism for establishing a free trade agreement with India, it said quoting the president.