India has donated a new offshore patrol vessel and a landing craft assault ship to the Maldives on Tuesday, with the handover ceremony taking place at the port area of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard ships in Hulhumale’.
The new vessel, which replaces the largest ship in the MNDF Coast Guard fleet, also named CGS Huravee and gifted by the Indian Government in 2006, boasts improved technology and increased size.
The ceremony was attended by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Defence Minister Mraiya Ahmed Didi, and the visiting Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar and senior MNDF officials also attended the ceremony.
The President’s Office tweeted that the new vessel would significantly improve the MNDF’s maritime defence and security capabilities, and that India had provided free maintenance on the previous Huravee vessel once every two years.
The crew in charge of delivering CGS Huravee will conduct a two-week training program for MNDF officers who will be working on the vessel.