India Denies Claims of Unauthorised Military Operations in Maldives

India has denied allegations made by Maldivian Foreign Minister Ghassan Maumoon that Indian military pilots conducted an operation in the Maldives without the required permits.

The High Commission of India in the Maldives issued a statement yesterday, asserting that all Indian aviation operations in the Maldives have adhered to the agreed-upon procedures and received proper authorisation.

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Contrary to this assertion, Minister Gassan Maumoon, during a press conference on Saturday, claimed knowledge of an unauthorised flight by one of the Indian aviation platforms. He recounted an incident involving an Indian-operated helicopter that allegedly landed in Th. Thimaraushi without permission. This case, he noted, was reviewed by the Parliament’s Committee on National Security Services (241 Committee) when he was a lawmaker.

Addressing the Minister’s comments, the High Commission clarified that the specific incident, which involved an emergency landing in Thimarafushi on 9 October 2019, was due to an unforeseen emergency.

The High Commission emphasised that the emergency landing was executed only after obtaining necessary on-ground approvals from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to ensure the safety and security of both the helicopter and its crew.