Six Maldivians among 15 foreign personnel trained by Indian Army

Six officersfrom the Maldivian Armed Forces are among the batch of 15 foreign military personnel that completed their 11-month training on Saturday (Sep 7), at the Indian Army's Officers Training Academy in the southern Indian city of Chennai. All 15foreign personnel were trained along with the Indian Army's 297 officer cadets, which comprised 258 men and 39 women. Following their course completion, all 297 Indian officer cadets were formally commissioned into the Indian Army and earned their Lieutenant rank.

This ab initio military training being offered by India is an indication of the ongoing military diplomacy between India and Maldives, despite how bilateral ties have been navigating choppy waters since the new government of President Mohamed Muizzu came to power in the archipelagic nation, in November 2023.

Notably, President Muizzu had demanded that the Indian military personnel who were operating two helicopters and an aircraft, provided by the Indian government to the Maldives for maritime surveillance, search-and-rescue, and medical evacuation operations, leave the island nation. India agreed to this demand and by May this year, withdrew its military personnel including aircrew, and technicians, later replacing them with civilians. The decision to replace Indian military personnel with civilians represents a setback to India's endeavours to counteract China's influence in the strategically situated Maldives, which is around 500 km southwest of Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram.

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Since assuming power, Muizzu's government has forged multiple economic agreements with China, sidelining India's role in various developmental projects. Notably, Maldives formalised a military assistance agreement with China in March and permitted a Chinese research vessel to berth at its port.

Meanwhile, India has been helping Maldives build 4,000 homes and has extended a $100 million line of credit to finance other infrastructure projects. Both nations have signed agreements for cooperation in cybersecurity, disaster management, and fishing zone forecast.

While Muizzu visited China first after assuming office, he visited India in June, for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who assumed office for the third consecutive time. During the visit, President Muizzu met Indian President Draupadi Murmu, and External Affairs Minister Dr SJaishankar, and discussed the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.

Indian Army vice chief reviews passing out parade

Addressing the officer cadets following the Passing Out Parade at the OTA Chennai, Lt Gen Raja Subramani, vice chief of the Indian Army, impressed upon them that they must treat their professional and personal challenges as opportunities, and deal with them with confidence, and vigour. He also urged the young men and women to imbibe 'LEAD' - Life-long learning, Empathy, Audacity, and Discipline.

The 15 foreign armed forces personnel who completed their training are from Maldives, Seychelles, Uganda, Philippines, Tanzania, Lesotho, and Sierra Leone.

Among the Indian officer cadets who formally got commissioned into the army was Lieutenant Ashwini Dhaka, wife of Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, who flew the ill-fated Mi-17V5 helicopter that ferried India's first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and others, from Sulur, near Coimbatore, to Wellington, Ooty. Minutes ahead of the scheduled landing at the hilltop landing ground, the chopper had crashed into the treeline by the hillside. This fatal crash in December 2021 ended up claiming the lives of all on board.

"The journey is very tough- from a housewife to an Army officer. From mental to physical aspects, this academy made me tough. My family, my Late husband's colleagues in the Air Force supported me throughout this journey. I am continuing my life, I want to be happy and make him(Late husband) proud," Yashwini said, following her formal commissioning into the army.