Maldives Defence Minister arrives in Kochi; visit to boost bilateral ties

Maldives Defence Minister, Mariya Ahmed Didi arrived at Kochi on Tuesday on a six-day visit to India which aims at boosting ties between the two countries.

"Mariya Ahmed Didi, Defence Minister Maldives along with a delegation reached Kochi International Airport for a six-day official visit to Kochi and Kannur," tweeted PRO Kochi Defence.

She was received by Rear Admiral TVN Prasanna, VSM, Chief Staff Officer (Training), Southern Naval Command Airport in Kochi.

Vice Admiral AK Chawla, PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM, ADC Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, will be calling on Defence Minister, Maldives at Headquarters Southern Naval Command.

The Defence Minister's visit carries weight as it forms a vital cog in the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean and forms strategic importance to India as it expands its strategic presence in the wider Indo-Pacific.

India will strengthen its defence relations with the Maldives to develop further cooperation with the counter-terrorism in the atoll nation especially any seaborne terror attacks on the country.

India's forging of defence ties with the Maldives is also driven by the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean especially in the Littoral States such as the Maldives.

India will work closely with the network of 26 radar emplacements deployed across the atolls of the Maldives, which will be linked to the Indian Southern Command.

Further, India will extend the range and scope of Project Mausam and will include the Maldives further in the ambit.

Project Mausam was earlier launched in December 2014 to develop India's relations with the littoral states of the Indian Ocean.

( With inputs from ANI )

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