NEW DELHI – In a snub to Narendra Modi government in India the Maldivesgovernment has asked India to withdraw military helicopters and personnelposted there following the expiry of an agreement in June.

This the latest snub to New Delhi by President Abdulla Yameen`sChina-backed government.

India and China are going head to head in the Maldives, the Indian Oceanisland chain where Beijing is building roads, bridges and a bigger airport,upstaging India which has been the country`s prime provider of military andcivilian aid for decades.

India has opposed Yameen`s crackdown on political rivals and the impositionof an emergency this year.

The tensions are impacting aid programmes such as security assistance thatNew Delhi has given to smaller countries in the region to help them protectexclusive economic zones, carry out surveys and combat piracy.

The Maldives` ambassador in India, Ahmed Mohamed said that helicopters wereno longer required as the islands had built up enough resources of its own.

“They were very useful in the past but with the development of adequateinfrastructure, facilities and resources we are now in a position to handlemedical evacuations on our own,” he said.

However, India and the Maldives are still conducting joint patrols in theislands` exclusive economic zone every month, Mohamed said. The Maldives,400 km (250 miles) to the southwest of India, is close to the world`sbusiest shipping lanes, between China and the Middle East.

Along with the helicopters, India had stationed around 50 militarypersonnel, including pilots and maintenance crew, and their visas hadexpired. But New Delhi has not yet withdrawn them from the island chain.

“We are still there, our two helicopters and the men,” an Indian navyspokesman said on Wednesday, adding the foreign ministry was handling thesituation. The foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters` request forcomment.