India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, and his Maldivian counterpart, Mariya Didi, have commenced the construction of a harbour at Sifavaru for the coast guard of Maldives. The primary goal of this move is to improve the country’s maritime security capabilities, given China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean Region through the deployment of more warships and projects.
The development of the coast guard Ekatha Harbour and repair facility at Sifavaru is one of India’s most substantial grant-in-aid projects, following the signing of a pact for the creation of this coast guard facility in 2021. India had also extended a $50 million line of credit to the Maldives for defence projects.
The ministers explored other areas for cooperation, such as defence trade, capacity building, and joint exercises, while highlighting the importance of promoting people-to-people contacts and exchanges between the armed forces of both countries.
The coast guard facility will halt the Maldives’ practice of sending its ships abroad for maintenance. The coast guard functions as the Maldives National Defence Force’s armed maritime unit, which has received patrol vessels and surveillance aircraft from India since the Maldives lacks a navy.
India’s maritime diplomacy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) focuses on capacity building, capability enhancement, and collaborative efforts, with a focus on cooperation and partnership rather than competition and power games. China’s “debt-trap diplomacy” has resulted in countries such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan surrendering strategic territories to China owing to mounting debts.
In 1988, the Indian Air Force airlifted Indian Army troops to the Maldives to assist in halting a coup attempt by mercenaries.
During his visit, Rajnath Singh delivered a fast patrol vessel and a landing craft assault to the MNDF, describing the two indigenous vessels as a symbol of the shared commitment of the two countries to peace and security in the IOR. The fast patrol vessel, known as MNDF Coast Guard ship Huravee, is capable of coastal and offshore surveillance at high speeds.
