India & Maldives Conduct Defence Talks At New Delhi

Following the withdrawal of indian military personnel from Maldives earlier this year, New Delhi and Male engaged in a defense dialogue at the senior official level on Friday.

The discussions focused on ongoing defense cooperation projects and planned bilateral military exercises.

According to a statement from the Defence Ministry, the 5th Defence Cooperation Dialogue was led by Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Maldivian Chief of Defence Force General Ibrahim Hilmy.

The discussions addressed the expediting of various defence projects, high-level exchanges, and capability development, along with planning for future military exercises.

As per the statement, the talks were “productive,” aiming to advance mutual interests and contribute to stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region.

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The resumption of talks comes after a period of strained relations, when Mohamed Muizzu, seen as pro-China, took office in November 2023.

Subsequently, he requested the withdrawal of Indian military personnel, leading to a deadlock. Later, an agreement was reached in February 2024 for India to withdraw around 80 military personnel between March 10 and May 10.

Earlier in May, Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer visited India. After a month, President Muizzu attended PM Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in June.

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Then in August, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Male to discuss bilateral cooperation, emphasizing Maldives’ importance in India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy.