India has refuted allegations by Maldivian Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon that Indian military helicopter pilots conducted an unauthorized operation in the Maldives in 2019. The High Commission of India in the Maldives clarified that Indian aviation platforms operate with due authorization and that the specific sortie on October 9, 2019, was approved by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The clarification comes amid strained relations between India and the Maldives following the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the country. The Maldivian government had requested the removal of Indian troops, and the final group left on the agreed deadline in February. Despite the departure of Indian military personnel, the Maldives remains a crucial maritime neighbor for India in the Indian Ocean Region and holds significance in India’s regional initiatives.