Rajnath holds talks on defence cooperation with Maldivian counterpart

India will also be handing over a fast patrol vessel along with an assault landing craft to the Maldivian Coast Guard in a formal ceremony on Tuesday.

In 2020, India had gifted a Dornier aircraft to Maldives, a year after it handed over a patrol vessel to the country. Last year, India had also given a coastal radar system to Maldives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last year announced that India will be providing 24 vehicles and a naval boat to Maldives and will build police facilities in 61 islands of the country.

In Monday’s statement, the Defence Ministry said Singh also held discussions with Maldievs Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid. Ongoing bilateral defence and infrastructural development cooperation in Maldives by India figured in the discussions.

The statement said that as a special gesture, reflecting the warmth in the bilateral relations, Maldives Defence Minister Didi broke protocol and personally received Singh upon arrival at the airport.

Maldives is among the top maritime neighbours of India in the Indian Ocean Region and India has been seeking to expand ties with the island nation — including in areas of defence and security — amid China’s efforts to expand its influence in the region.

Both countries are working closely to address challenges, including those on maritime security, terrorism, radicalisation, piracy, trafficking, organised crime and natural disasters.

In August last year, Prime Minister Modi and Soli kickstarted the Greater Male Connectivity Project — a $500 million project financed by India — that would comprise a 6.74 km bridge and the causeway link connecting capital Male with the neighbouring islands.

Both sides had also signed a cyber security pact aimed at strengthening ties to tackle transnational crimes and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.