Maldives has decided not to renew an agreement with India to conduct hydrographic surveys of its waters, The New Indian Express has reported.

The Maldivian Undersecretary for Public Policy said on Thursday that the new government led by President Mohamad Muizzu has decided against renewing the hydrography agreement with India that is valid until June 7, 2024.

As per reports, the Maldives government has conveyed this to the Indian government.

India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maldives on cooperation in the field of hydrography five years ago when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Male. According to the terms, if one of the signatories wanted to drop the agreement, it had to inform the other country at least six months before it lapsed, else it would get renewed automatically for another five-year period.

Now, the Maldivian government wants to do away with what it refers to as ‘secret bilateral meetings’ signed by the former administration that it feels would endanger the country’s independence and sovereignty. The official said President Muizzu made the decision after consulting his cabinet.

Earlier, President Muizzu, just after being sworn in, had said that he wanted India to withdraw its soldiers from the country.