March 21, 2023
2 mins read

India and Maldives review defence ties

During the interaction, ongoing bilateral defence cooperation activities were reviewed, and both sides expressed satisfaction with the increasing engagements…reports Asian Lite news

India and the Maldives have agreed to increase the complexity of existing bilateral defence exercises.

This was among a host of issues discussed during the 4th Defence Cooperation Dialogue (DCD) held in Male on Sunday (March 19, 2023).

The dialogue was co-chaired by visiting Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and his Maldivian counterpart, Chief of Defence Force, Maldives National Defence Forces Major General Abdulla Shamaal.

During the interaction, ongoing bilateral defence cooperation activities were reviewed, and both sides expressed satisfaction with the increasing engagements. The talks covered the existing bilateral exercises, with both countries agreeing to increase the complexity of these drills, India’s Ministry of Defence said.

During his visit to the Maldives, Aramane also called on Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi and Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid. Speaking after the DCD, Defence Secretary Aramane thanked Major General Shamaal and his delegation for a fruitful dialogue and stated that India looks forward to continued engagement based on the common understanding reached by the 4th DCD.

The DCD is the most institutionalized form of interaction between the two nations. The attention placed on the negotiations by the two countries underlines their significance in determining the future direction of ties between the two Military Forces, the Ministry of Defence noted.

“The Armed Forces of India & the Maldives continue to seek bilateral cooperation in multiple fields and the increased engagements are a positive sign for the future of bilateral relations,” the ministry added.

It may be recalled that India and the Maldives had discussed new initiatives and stronger engagement between their armed forces at the 6th Joint Staff Talks (JST) held in New Delhi on December 20, 2023.

Discussions at the JST focused on the ongoing and new initiatives under the ambit of existing bilateral defence cooperation mechanism of all the three services and further strengthening the engagements.

It is worth noting that the Maldives is a founding member of the Colombo Security Conclave, along with India and Sri Lanka, in 2011. The Colombo Security Conclave was founded as a trilateral security cooperation framework for the Indian Ocean Region.

Mauritius became the forum’s fourth member during the 5th Colombo Security Conclave Meeting in Male, Maldives in March 2022. Representatives from Seychelles and Bangladesh had also attended the meet as observers. (India News Network)

ALSO READ: India plans global initiative on digital health

Previous Story

Lulu launches “Happiness Rewards”

Next Story

Legal woes continue to mount for Imran

Latest from -Top News

India opens world’s highest rail bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir and flagged off the much-awaited Vande Bharat Express to Srinagar, marking a historic moment

Sisi, MBZ cement ties

UAE and Egypt bolster ties through high-level talks in Abu Dhabi and a landmark cardiac care initiative delivering lifesaving treatment to rural communities The United Arab Emirates and Egypt reaffirmed their strong

‘UAE leads global fight against plastic waste’

UAE accelerates its fight against plastic pollution with a bold single-use plastic ban and expanded environmental policies to safeguard natural ecosystems for future generations The United Arab Emirates continues to lead the

70,000 Gaza kids starve

WFP warned that any further escalation of conflict could paralyse relief operations altogether, deepening the plight of civilians—especially children, the elderly, and vulnerable groups As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies, the

Prayers on the Mount

The Day of Arafat, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage, witnessed a congregation of believers from around the world As the sun blazed overhead and temperatures climbed to a sweltering 41°C,
Go toTop

Don't Miss

India constructed 703 km of highways using plastic waste

Use of plastic waste in construction of road protects the

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat meets Imam Umer Ilyasi

The meeting comes on the heels of Bhagwat interacting with