India Gifts 72 Vehicles to Enhance Maldives Defence Forces
In an effort to further improve bilateral defence relations, India has donated 72 vehicles to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
The symbolic handover took place on July 25 at the President's Office in Malé during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Maldives. Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu received the symbolic key from Prime Minister Modi in a short ceremony. The donation is based on an earlier agreement between Maldivian Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon and India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh when the former paid an official visit to India earlier this year.
The consignment consists of a large number of operational and utility vehicles, such as:
- 8 twenty-seven-seater buses
- 10 pickup trucks
- 10 mini-vans
- 10 vans
- 5 lorries
- 8 tractors
- 4 tipper dump trucks
- 4 backhoe loaders
- 2 cranes
- 6 mini excavators
- 5 standard excavators
India confirmed that this contribution is part of its endeavour to improve the MNDF's logistics support and operational effectiveness. Both countries were sure that the initiative will further reinforce regional security and capacity building initiatives, which reflect the increasing strategic cooperation between the Maldives and India.
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