Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit Maldives to bolster defence ties

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Maldives beginning Monday to further bolster defence ties between the two countries. India and the Maldives have maintained close defence relations, with the Indian Navy and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) engaged in areas of maritime information sharing, maritime domain awareness, and capacity-building initiatives.

During his visit, Singh will hold talks with Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Didi and other high-level officials to discuss bilateral defence cooperation. The two countries are expected to review ongoing defence projects and explore new areas of collaboration.

India and the Maldives signed a pact for the development of a coast guard harbour for maritime security in 2021. The harbour will be developed at the Uthuru Thila Falhu naval base, and the Indian side has already submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the development of the harbour. India has also been providing support in the maintenance and repair of the Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard Fleet.

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In addition, the Indian Navy has been providing aid to the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The navy has transported food items and medicine to the country to help with relief efforts. Last year, India also handed over a refitted CGS Huravee ship to the Maldives and inaugurated the Phase-I extension of the Composite Training Centre (CTC) of the Maldives National Defence Force. The CGS Huravee was gifted by India to the MNDF in 2006, while the Phase-I extension of CTC was completed through an Indian grant.

The visit by the Indian Defence Minister is expected to further strengthen the defence ties between India and the Maldives and enhance cooperation in the areas of maritime security and regional stability.

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