Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu won office last year while campaigning on a promise to downgrade ties with India, and has since reoriented the strategically placed archipelago nation towards Beijing.

After coming to power, he demanded the withdrawal of at least 88 Indian soldiers who had been stationed in the territory to assist with maritime patrols.

The third and final batch of 27 Indian troops left the archipelago today, the official said, declining to be named as they were not authorised to speak to media.

They added that there was no public ceremony held to mark the end of the Indian military deployment.

Both India and the Maldives struck a conciliatory note yesterday, ahead of the withdrawal deadline.

Maldives foreign minister Moosa Zameer met his Indian counterpart during an official visit to New Delhi yesterday, saying his trip marked a “new initiative of collaboration, symbolising enduring friendship and shared goals”.