Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh, paid an official visit to Maldives from 1st to 3rd May 2023. During his 3 day visit, he held bilateral talks with Mariya Ahmed Didi, Minister of Defence of the Maldives and Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives.
He also called on President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and discussed ongoing projects and ways to further strengthen defence ties
- During his visit, he handed over 2 naval vessels- Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) and a Landing Craft Assault ship, to the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF).
- He also joined Mariya Ahmed Didi in the foundation stone laying ceremony of MNDF Ekatha harbour in Male, Maldives.
Note: Rajnath Singh arrived in Male on 1st May 2023 at the invitation of Mariya Ahmed Didi.
Bilateral talks:
i.Defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Maldivian counterpart Mariya Ahmed Didi discussed the regional and global security issues of mutual concern and agreed to strengthen the cooperation in the defence and security sector.
ii.They also discussed the need to promote people-to-people contacts and exchanges between the armed forces of both India and Maldives.
iii.During the meeting with Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, both nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the partnership between India and Maldives.
iv.They also noted that both nations are looking forward to continuing the dialogue and cooperation in future.
Key Points:
i.During his visit, he visited the ongoing project sites in the Maldives and interacted with the Indian diaspora in the Maldives.
ii.The visit of the Defence Minister to Maldives marks a major landmark in building strong bonds of friendship between India and Maldives.
iii.India and Maldives are working towards addressing the shared challenges such as maritime security, terrorism, radicalisation, piracy, trafficking, organised crime and natural disasters.
Defence Minister handed over 2 naval vessels to MDNF
On 2nd May 2023(day 2 of the visit) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh handed over the 2 naval vessels, Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) and a Landing Craft Assault ship to the MNDF.
- The defence minister highlighted the handing over of these vessels as the symbol of the shared commitment of India and the Maldives towards peace and security in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR).
- The FPV, capable of coastal and offshore surveillance at high speeds, was commissioned as the MNDF Coast Guard ship Huravee.
Additional info:
In Sri Lanka, the Indian Air Force (IAF)’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal V. R. Chaudhari donated AN-32 transport aircraft propellers to Commander Sri Lanka Air Force at Katunayake Air Base.
Laid foundation stone for MNDF Ekatha harbour
On 3rd May 2023, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Mariya Ahmed Didi, Minister of Defence of the Maldives laid the foundation stone for the MNDF Coast Guard ‘Ekatha Harbour’ in Male, Maldives.
- The development of the Coast Guard Harbour and repair facility at Sifavaru is one of the biggest grant-in-aid projects in India.
Key Point: The defence minister highlighted that India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy along with the Maldives’ ‘India First’ policy aims to work together to jointly develop the capabilities within the IOR (Indian Ocean Region).
Recent Related News:
Union minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) visited African nations – Uganda, Ethiopia and Mozambique for 6 days from April 10 to 15, 2023 to strengthen India’s bilateral relationship with the countries.
About Maldives:
President– Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Capital– Male
Currency– Maldivian Rufiyaa
