India colluded with Maldivian Opposition in bid to oust President Muizzu, claims The Washington Post

Leaders of the Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party sought $6 million, or nearly Rs 51,350 crore, from India to aid a plot to impeach Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, reported The Washington Post on Monday.

The plan was detailed in an internal document titled “Democratic Renewal Initiative” that the United States-based newspaper said it had obtained.

According to The Washington Post, Maldivian Opposition leaders had proposed bribing 40 MPs, including those from Muizzu’s People’s National Congress, to vote to impeach the president. They had also allegedly proposed to pay 10 senior Maldivian Army and police officers, and three “powerful criminal gangs”.

“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,” the report stated.

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

This comes months after India withdrew all its military personnel stationed in the Maldives. India was the only foreign power with a military presence in the country. A group of Indian defence personnel had been maintaining radar stations and surveillance aircraft in the archipelago. Indian warships also help patrol the Maldives’ exclusive economic zone.

This collaboration was of strategic importance to New Delhi amid its geopolitical competition with...

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