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The Maldives military acknowledged its lack of pilots capable of operating three aircraft donated by India. This revelation came during a press conference held by Defense Minister Ghassan Maumoon, who confirmed that there were no Maldivian soldiers within the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) who could fly the aircraft despite previous training efforts.
The Indian military donated the aircraft to the Maldives, and some soldiers had begun training to fly them under agreements formed by previous governments. However, the training, which required passing various stages, had not been completed due to unspecified reasons, leaving the Maldivian military without licensed or fully operational pilots for the aircraft.
The admission by Defense Minister Maumoon contradicts statements made by senior officials of the current administration when they were in opposition, claiming that there were capable pilots in the MNDF. The previous government's intention in bringing Indian soldiers with the donated aircraft was to train Maldivians to operate them, but this objective has yet to be achieved.
Despite the lack of qualified Maldivian pilots, the Maldives government has no plans to remove Indian doctors from the Senahiya military hospital. Foreign Minister Zameer stated that the agreement to replace Indian soldiers with civilians for aircraft operation also includes provisions for training local pilots, aiming to address the current shortage and ensure the Maldives military's long-term capability to operate the donated aircraft.
The relations between India and the Maldives have come under strain after President Mohamed Muizzu insisted on the withdrawal of all Indian military personnel operating the three aviation platforms in the island nation by May 10, leading to the departure of 76 Indian military personnel.
This situation highlights the challenges faced by the Maldives in developing its own military capabilities and the ongoing need for international cooperation and assistance in the defense sector.
Source: Pilots Incapable Of Flying Aircraft Donated By India: Maldives Minister