President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has reassured the public that foreign troops will not be involved in piloting the military drones recently introduced and used by the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) Air Force. He made the assurance during the "Raees ge Javaab" series, which facilitates direct public interaction with the President on diverse issues.
During the series, Mohamed Ihsaan raised concerns to President Dr. Muizzu regarding the possibility of seeking foreign assistance to operate and fly the newly acquired drones, thereby ending the previous presence of foreign troops in the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
In response, President Dr. Muizzu affirmed that the government does not have a policy of maintaining foreign troops within the country. He also stated that the recently formed MNDF Air Corps and its specialised drones will not be operated by any foreign personnel.
Under the MNDF Air Corps, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones will be deployed in the MNDF area commands established in the northern and southern regions of the Maldives. The UAVs will enable the Maldives to effectively oversee more than 900,000 square meters of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for the first time. Through the service, MNDF will undertake all necessary aerial military operations to ensure the security of the country's airspace.