"I seek assistance from NCC India...": Maldives National Defence Force Marine Corps Commander

New Delhi [India], June 22 : Brigadier General Wais Waheed, Commandant of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Marine Corps noted that Maldives is a country that has limited resources and sought assistance from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) India for equipment.

Brigadier General Wais Waheed said that the new proposal will be sent to India and they will look into it. Brigadier General Wais Waheed and Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh, AVSM, VSM, DG NCC on Thursday participated in the meeting at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Brigadier General Wais Waheed said, "In fact, Maldives being a country which we have archipelago nature disaster...So, if we ...in dealing with incidents with collaboration with us MNPF, that would be a false multiplier for us. So, that's an idea in which we would like to have NCC more active in operations for disaster management."

He further said, "All those equipments which the Indian NCC uses, that's the model that we also look into us and similar way we also get trained. So, being a country which has limited resources, I seek assistance again from the NCC India to get any equipment that they can provide us. The new proposal will be sent to them and they will look it and find it."

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh said that the cadets of India and Maldives participate in a youth exchange program. He further said, "Maldives has sent a proposal to enhance the youth exchange program. We will hold deliberations on the proposal and take further action."

Earlier this month, Indian Navy divers and Marine Commandos travelled to the Maldives to participate in the sixth edition of Exercise Ekatha from June 4 to July 4. The annual exercise between Indian Navy divers and Marine Commandos and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) is conducted to enhance interoperability in diving and special operations.

Earlier, the fifth edition of the exercise was held from 5th September 2022 to 3rd October 2022, Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdullah Shamaal handed the certificates to the Indian Navy training team.