Rajnath to gift fast patrol vessel, landing craft to Maldives

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 30

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hand over a fast patrol vessel and a landing craft to the Maldives as India's "gift" during his visit to the island nation from May 1 to 3.

The Defence Ministry said this on Sunday, noting that the visit would be an "important landmark" in building "strong bonds" of friendship between the two countries.

In October, India had announced a USD 100-million line of credit to the Maldives.

Rajnath is slated to hold bilateral talks with his Maldivian counterpart Mariya Ahmed Didi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid during the three-day visit.

“The entire gamut of defence relations between the two countries will be reviewed during the visit,” a statement of the Ministry of Defence said. Rajnath will also call on Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

During his stay, he will also visit the ongoing project sites in the country and interact with the Indian diaspora.

India and the Maldives are working closely to effectively address shared challenges, including maritime security, terrorism, radicalisation, piracy, trafficking, organised crime and natural disasters. The two nations seek to work together to jointly develop the capabilities within the Indian Ocean Region through India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, and Maldives’ ‘India First’ policy.

The Maldives is also one of the biggest beneficiaries of India's Neighbourhood First policy. In August last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Solih kick-started the India-funded Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP), billed as the largest infrastructure initiative in the island nation.

Under the project, a 6.74-km-long bridge and causeway link will be built to connect Maldivian capital Male with the adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane visited the Maldives last month and held talks with his Maldivian counterpart, Major General Abdulla Shamaal.

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