The President-Elect of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu has marked his victory with a pledge to end the Foreign Military presence in his small but strategically placed atoll nation.

Muizzu did not name any country having Military presence in the Maldives but India is the only foreign power with a military deployment in the archipelago.

Addressing his first public rally in the Capital Male after winning Saturday's election, Muizzu, 45 said his government would be sending back Military Forces based in the Maldives according to law.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first leaders to congratulate Muizzu on Sunday.

The President-Elect said the people who brought Foreign Military Forces into the country don't want to send them back but the people of the Maldives have decided to return them.

Within hours of his victory, Muizzu secured the release of his mentor and former President Abdulla Yameen, who was serving an 11-year jail sentence at a high-security prison, and transferred him to house arrest in male.

Muizzu, who is also the current mayor of male, brushed aside media descriptions of him as a pro-china leader and said he will be "pro-Maldives".

"My top priority will be the Maldives and its situation," Muizzu said. "we will be choosing to be Pro-Maldives. Any country who respects and obeys our Pro-Maldives Policy is considered a close friend of the Maldives."

China congratulated Muizzu on Monday, saying it "respects the choice of the Maldivian people".

The Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement said china is willing to work with the Maldives to consolidate the traditional friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and push for continuous new progress.