The president-elect of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, has announced plans to remove "foreign troops" from the country on his first day in office. Although this has been interpreted as a message to India, officials from India have stated that there are no Indian troops currently stationed in the Maldives. Defense and security have been a significant area of cooperation between India and the Maldives since 1988, with India providing training and equipment to the Maldivian National Defence Force. The president-elect also expressed concerns about the country's indebtedness to a specific country, which is believed to be China.