Defence Minister Singh will gift one Fast Patrol Vessel ship and a Landing Craft to Maldives
India and the Maldives discussed ways to further boost the defence partnership between the two sides during discussions between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart Mariya Ahmed Didi in Male on Monday (May 1, 2023).

"It is always wonderful to meet the Defence Minister of Maldives, Ms @MariyaDidi. Our meeting in Male today was very good. We exchanged views on multiple subjects including further boosting the defence partnership between India & Maldives," Singh tweeted.

According to a tweet by Maldives' Ministry of Defence, the two Defence Ministers discussed regional and global security issues of mutual concern and agreed to further strengthen the cooperation in the defence and security domains.

Defence Minister Singh also met with Maldives’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.

Singh's engagements during the day included an interaction with top officers of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) where the discussions focused on tackling common challenges and promoting shared interests.

"Tackling common challenges and promoting shared interests

RM @rajnathsingh interacted with senior officers of @MNDF_Official ;highlighted that defence coop. between India-Maldives is aimed at confronting common challenges & promoting peace and security in the region," the Indian High Commission in Maldives tweeted.

"RM further complimented Armed Forces on both sides for their initiative & zeal in maintaining the close defence coop.
In his remarks, @CDFMNDF hailed India-Maldives partnership as an exemplary model that facilitates collaboration while ensuring mutual trust & respect," the High Commission added.

In a gesture that exemplifies the close relationship between the two nations, Defence Minister Singh will gift one Fast Patrol Vessel ship and a Landing Craft to Maldives National Defence Forces during the visit.

Announcing the visit on Sunday, India's Ministry of Defence had described it as “an important landmark in building the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries”. Explaining the significance of the visit, the Ministry of Defence said India and the Maldives are working closely to “effectively address shared challenges”, including maritime security, terrorism, radicalisation, piracy, trafficking, organised crime and natural disasters.

India's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) along with its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy as well as Maldives’ ‘India First’ policy seek to work together to jointly develop the capabilities within the Indian Ocean Region, the ministry had added.

India views the Maldives as an important strategic partner in the Indian Ocean Region. The country is a founding member, along with India and Sri Lanka, of the Colombo Security Conclave, a security cooperation framework for the Indian Ocean Region. Mauritius became the forum's fourth member in March 2022.