India, Jan. 14 -- Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday asked India to withdraw all Indian military personnel deployed in the Indian Ocean archipelago by March 15, with New Delhi saying the two sides would hold further discussions on the matter.

Muizzu made the demand as a high-level core group set up by the two countries to address the issue held its first meeting in Male. Muizzu informed the Maldivian delegation participating in the meeting to inform Indian officials that the troops must be withdrawn by mid-March, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, principal secretary to the Maldivian president, told a media briefing in Male.

This is the 12th meeting to discuss the withdrawal of Indian troops and the talks are evidence of the government's ...