The fifth meeting of the Defence Cooperation Dialogue between the Maldives and India was held in New Delhi on Friday, 6 September.
Chief of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) General Ibrahim Hilmy and Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane headed up the respective delegations during the meeting, which presented “both sides with an opportunity to discuss the matters related to bilateral defence cooperation,” India’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Friday. This included discussions on expediting the implementation of various ongoing defence cooperation projects.
Discussions also focused on areas of common interest—regarding high-level exchanges and capability development projects—as well as aspects of participation in the forthcoming bilateral military exercise, the Indian Defence Ministry said.
“The entire range of talks were productive which will advance shared interests of both the nations in near future and bring stability & prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region,” the statement read.
The India-Maldives Defence Cooperation Dialogue focuses on regional stability, bilateral cooperation, and ongoing defence projects for shared interests.