Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Maldivian counterpart Mariya Didi on May 3 laid the foundation stone for the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF) Coast Guard ‘Ekatha Harbour’. The development of the Coast Guard Harbour and repair facility at Sifavaru is one of the biggest grant-in-aid projects of India, a joint press communique issued at the end of Mr. Singh’s three-day tour said. This is the first visit of an Indian Defence Minister to the island nation in 11 years.
“Both Ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability and security in the region and recognised the need to work together to address common security challenges. They underscored the importance of respecting international law and rules-based international order and expressed their commitment to upholding these principles,” the joint communique said. Both Parties reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the partnership between their countries, and expressed common sentiments that they looked forward to continuing the dialogue and cooperation in the future, it stated.
