Maldives Defence Minister Mohammed Ghassan Maumoon will be in India on a three-day visit from Wednesday (January 8, 2025) for bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in what is the latest in a series of high-level interactions in recent months.

During their talks in New Delhi on Wednesday, they will review the various facets of bilateral defence cooperation including training, regular exercises, defence projects, workshops and seminars to enhance the capability of the Maldives National Defence Forces as well as supply of defence equipment & stores, the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday (January 7, 2025).

During his stay, Maumoon will also be visiting Goa and Mumbai.

The meeting comes less than a week after Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Khaleel visited New Delhi from January 2-4, 2025 and held extensive discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

EAM Jaishankar and FM Khaleel took stock of progress made on the understandings reached during talks between Prime Minister Narendra and President Mohamed Muizzu in October 2024 and followed-up on issues that need further focus from both sides. 

EAM Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to the Maldives and described the country as a “concrete expression” of India’s Neighborhood First policy. He also said that India will continue to be a steadfast supporter of Maldives’ progress and prosperity.

During the meeting, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects under Phase-III in Maldives, through grant assistance by the Government of India.

In October 2024, Prime Minister Modi and President Muizzu held extensive bilateral talks in New Delhi, aiming to forge a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership.

A key outcome of the talks was the decision to advance maritime and security cooperation. As part of this, India is supporting the Maldives with “provisioning of defence platforms and assets” to augment the capabilities of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). According to the joint vision statement, India will also support Maldives in enhancing surveillance and monitoring capability of MNDF with the provisioning of radar systems and other equipment.

India and the Maldives share spiritual, historical, linguistic and ethnic ties. The Maldives occupies a special place in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, which aims to bring stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Both nations are key players in maintaining safety and security of IOR, thus contributing to India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).