The U.S. takes a neutral stance on the Maldives’ decision to remove Indian troops.
The United States has refrained from taking a position regarding Maldives president-elect Mohamed Muiz’s announcement to initiate the process of withdrawing Indian military personnel from the country. The U.S. State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Vedant Patel, asserted that this matter concerns the bilateral relationship between the Maldives and India and stated, “We have never tried to imply one way or the other that any country is required to make any kind of decision about the kinds of exclusionary partnerships that it enters into through its bilateral relationships, whether it be with China, the United States, India, or any other country.”
Muiz is generally regarded as pro-China, in contrast to the outgoing Maldives president, Mohamed Solih, who is seen as pro-India.
Regarding the diplomatic tensions between Canada and India stemming from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusation that New Delhi orchestrated the killing of a Canadian Khalistani separatist leader in British Columbia, the U.S. has maintained its stance. The U.S. government has consistently urged India to cooperate with Canada’s investigation into Trudeau’s allegations.
Patel reiterated that the U.S. is “deeply concerned” about Trudeau’s accusations and stressed the importance of Canada’s investigation proceeding and the perpetrators being brought to justice. The U.S. government has privately and publicly urged Indian authorities to cooperate with the investigation.
Earlier, India had requested 41 Canadian diplomats to leave India by October 10 in response to the allegations.
When asked about the possibility of Canada retaliating by expelling Indian diplomats en masse, Patel declined to speculate on hypothetical scenarios. He emphasised that the U.S. would maintain its focus on the Indo-Pacific region despite any potential diplomatic expulsions, highlighting their ongoing partnership with India in forums like the Quad.
While Patel emphasised the seriousness of the allegations and the need for cooperation with the probe, he also underscored their commitment to regional engagement and collaboration on significant issues with India and other countries in the Indo-Pacific.
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