New Delhi, Aug 19 (Inditop.com) Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony will Thursday embark on a three-day visit to the Maldives during which a pact for greater defence cooperation is expected to be signed even as New Delhi looks for a greater foothold in the Indian Ocean region.
According to defence ministry sources, the island nation has sought greater defence cooperation from India in terms of coastal security and patrolling of the waters around it.
“Shortly after his arrival at the Maldivian capital in Male, Antony will call on President Mohammed Nasheed. He will hold talks with the top leadership of the government and the Maldives National Defence Force,” an official statement said Wednesday.
Antony will lead a high-level delegation to the Maldives. He will be accompanied by Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Director General Armed Forces Lt Gen N.K. Parmar, Director General Coast Guard Vice Admiral Anil Chopra and Deputy Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral D.K. Joshi.
“Antony will have bilateral discussions with his counterpart Ameen Faisal on ways of expanding defence cooperation between the two countries,” the statement added.
With the Maldives, there is a proposal to link its coastal security network with the Indian coastal radar network. The step would help India in securing its more than 7,500 km long shoreline.
During his visit, Antony is likely to hand over one Indian Coast Guard helicopter to the Maldives and a second one from the Indian Navy will be supplied later.
Antony will also attend the closing session of the India-Maldives Friendship function besides paying a visit to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital. The 200-bed general and specialty hospital has over the years provided the Maldives greater self-reliance in the field of medical care.
The Maldives consists of over 1,100 islets of which around 200 are inhabited and has shared “ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links” with India.
India was among the first to recognise the Maldives after independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with it. India’s prompt assistance during the 1988 coup attempt, which diffused the crisis, represents a watershed in India-Maldives relations.
More recently, when tsunami waves hit the Maldives on Dec 26, 2004, India was the first country to rush relief and aid there. In April 2006, India gifted a fast attack craft, INS Tillanchang, to the country.
For India, the Indian Ocean region, which straddles from Australia to Africa, has become strategically important with China also striving to increase its footprint. The Indian Navy has been working towards expanding its influence over about 30 countries in the region, including Maldives.
