Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar calls on Maldives Defence Minister Mariya, discusses expanding cooperation

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar called on Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Didi here on Sunday and thanked her for her support in strengthening defence relations between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Defence.

During the meeting held at the Ministry of Defence in Male', discussions focused on the immense and expanding India-Maldives defence cooperation in the past three years, said the Maldives Ministry of Defence in a statement.

The Indian Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar noted that the Government of India was committed to further boosting the India-Maldives partnership.

The Minister thanked India for the immense assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccine shipments, medical supplies, transportation of food supplies, humanitarian assistance and technical support for MNDF, with more than 170 medical evacuations and 130 surveillance missions conducted in the past couple of years.

The Minister expressed her deep appreciation for the Coast Guard Dockyard project, which is set to be the most comprehensive defence infrastructure development project carried out in the Maldives.

The Minister of Defence was joined by Military Secretary BG Abdul Matheen Ahmed, MNDF Surgeon General COL Dr Ali Shahid Mohamed, DIDC's Principal Director LTC Ahmed Shareef, and Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Ali Jaishan Amir.

( With inputs from ANI )