भारत ने पुनः पुष्टि की है कि वह मालदीव के संरक्षण की तैयारी में क्षमता वृद्धि के लिए सहायता करने के लिए तत्पर है
Bilateral ties between India and the Maldives have seen fresh momentum in recent months after a period of strain with a flurry of high-level visits and exchanges setting the tone for stronger engagement across key sectors, including in defence and security.

The latest instance is the handing over of defence equipment and stores to the Maldives by India on Wednesday (January 8, 2025). This handover, which came at Maldives’ request and took place during the visit of Maldives Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon to New Delhi, is in keeping with discussions during talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu in October last year. Maumoon is on his first official visit to India. 

During their bilateral discussions, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reaffirmed India’s readiness to support the Maldives in capability enhancement for defence preparedness, including provisioning of defence platforms and assets to augment its capacities, as per its national priorities, the Ministry of Defence said. This is in line with New Delhi’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy and the vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region).

The two ministers comprehensively reviewed various aspects of bilateral defence & security cooperation. “During the talks, both sides reasserted the firm commitment to work closely in realising the joint vision for India-Maldives Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership,” the Ministry of Defence said.

Maldives Defence Minister Maumoon appreciated India’s historical role as the ‘First Responder’ for the Maldives, and thanked New Delhi for assisting Male in augmenting the modern infrastructural capacities and training of defence & security personnel, the ministry  added.

“The visit is part of continued high-level engagements between the two sides. It has provided an opportunity to further deepen the bilateral defence & security ties for the mutual benefit of the two countries and the Indian Ocean Region,” the Ministry of Defence noted.

The two sides are also believed to have reviewed the ongoing 'Ekatha' harbour project at Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) with India's assistance which will significantly contribute towards enhancing Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF's) operational capabilities.

High-Level Exchanges After a Period of Strained Ties
Ties between the two nations came under strain after President Muizzu came to power in November 2023. Seen as pro-China, he sought the return of Indian military personnel stationed in the nation to provide technical assistance for humanitarian missions. But recent developments indicate a keenness by both sides to get the bilateral relationship back on track.

Defence Minister Maumoon’s visit comes days after the Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Khaleel met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi on January 3, 2025. Reaffirming India's commitment to the Maldives, EAM Jaishankar described the country as a "concrete expression" of India's Neighborhood First policy.

During their bilateral discussions, they took stock of progress made on the understandings reached during talks between Prime Minister Modi and President Muizzu and followed-up on issues that need further focus from both sides. 

Meeting in New Delhi on October 7, 2024, Prime Minister Modi and President Muizzu unveiled a Vision for Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership after extensive bilateral talks.

A key outcome of the talks between the two leaders was the decision to advance maritime and security cooperation. As part of this, India is supporting the Maldives “provisioning of defence platforms and assets” to augment the capabilities of the MNDF.

India also announced the refit of Maldivian Coast Guard Ship Huravee on gratis basis.

The two countries agreed that India, as a trusted and dependable partner, will work closely with Maldives in sharing of expertise, augmenting capabilities and undertake joint cooperative measures, as per needs and requirements of Maldives. 

This was President Muizzu’s second visit to India after assuming office. He was in New Delhi in June 2024 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and the new Cabinet and Council of Ministers.

Earlier, EAM Jaishankar was on an official visit to Maldives from August 9-11, 2024 to reinforce the bilateral partnership and explore new avenues of cooperation between the two countries. 

Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour and an important partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First' Policy and Vision ‘SAGAR’. As these high-level engagements continue, bilateral ties between India and the Maldives are expected to get a boost.