The Maldivian government has acknowledged a shortage of qualified pilots within its military to operate two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft donated by India. Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon, in a press conference at the President’s Office, openly addressed this issue, underscoring the ongoing challenge of training pilots for the aircraft provided by India. This admission coincides with the withdrawal of Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives, who were instrumental in operating these aircraft. President Mohamed Muizzu initiated the departure of 76 Indian defence personnel from the island nation, further highlighting the urgency of addressing this aviation capability gap.
In response to a reporter’s query, Ghassan Maumoon clarified that no Maldivian soldiers are currently capable of piloting the three aircraft the Indian military gave to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). However, he noted that some soldiers had begun training to operate them under agreements made by previous administrations, but the training process is yet to be completed.
“As it was a training that required passing various stages, our soldiers had not reached completion due to various reasons. Therefore, there aren’t any people in our force at the moment who are licensed or fully operational to fly the two helicopters and Dornier aircraft,” Ghassan Maumoon was quoted as saying by the Adhadhu.com news portal platform.
The relations between the two countries have reached a critical point as Muizzu, a pro-China leader, has set a firm deadline of May 10 for the withdrawal of all Indian military personnel operating the three aviation platforms in the island nation. India has already withdrawn 76 military personnel. However, a Maldivian media report said the Maldives government has no intention of removing the doctors from India at Senahiya military hospital.
In contrast to Ghassan Maumoon’s statements, senior officials of the current administration criticised the previous government during their time in opposition over the past five years. They asserted that the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) possessed capable pilots, as reported by Adhadhu.com.
The report highlighted that the primary objective behind the deployment of Indian soldiers, along with the helicopters donated during the administrations of former Presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen, as well as the Dornier aircraft provided during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s tenure, was to train Maldivian personnel.
Team BharatShakti
