The Commander of the Türkiye Navy Fleet, Admiral Kadir Yıldız, met President Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday, two days after Ankara gifted the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) its largest-ever naval vessel.
Muizzu thanked Türkiye “for the generous gift of the naval ship and for Türkiye’s continued support across various sectors,” the president’s office said in a statement. He added the donation reflected “the strong and enduring ties between the two nations.”
Yıldız, who formally handed over the vessel during a ceremony in Hulhumalé on Friday, reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to enhancing relations with the Maldives and expressed appreciation for “the close cooperation between the Maldives and Türkiye.”
At the 15 August ceremony, Muizzu, as Commander-in-Chief of the MNDF, unveiled the ship’s name, Dharumavantha, and described the vessel as a milestone in strengthening Maldivian defence capacity. The president’s office said the ship “represents a major advancement in the Maldives’ defence capabilities and reinforces the nation’s role as a responsible member of the international community, committed to safeguarding security in the Indian Ocean region.”
Both Muizzu and Yıldız on Sunday “underscored the importance of continued collaboration and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening the relationship between the two countries,” the statement said.