New Delhi, Jan 8: On Wednesday, India communicated to the Maldives its willingness to assist in enhancing the island nation’s defense readiness, as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh engaged in extensive discussions with his Maldivian counterpart Mohammed Ghassan Maumoon, centered on maritime security collaboration.
During their meeting, both defense ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment to closely collaborate in achieving the joint vision for a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership between India and the Maldives, as reported by an Indian official statement.
Maumoon is visiting India for three days, approximately eight months after India withdrew its military personnel from the Maldives at the request of its pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu. This incident had notably strained the relationship between the two countries.
The defense ministry stated that the two ministers comprehensively assessed various facets of bilateral defense and security cooperation.
“Throughout the discussions, both parties reiterated their commitment to closely working together to realize the joint vision for the India-Maldives Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership,” the statement noted.
Singh “reaffirmed” India’s readiness to assist the Maldives in enhancing its defense capabilities, which includes the provision of defense platforms and assets that align with its national priorities and correspond with New Delhi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, as well as the vision of SAGAR, which stands for Security And Growth for All in the Region. (PTI)
