India has for decades been the largest training partner for the MNDF as well, meeting more than 70% of the island nation s requirement of military training. Around 1,500 personnel have been trained in India in the past 10 years, with the most recent being four graduates from the Indian Military Academy in December 2023.
Male should realise that under the Modi government, benefits are likely to increase, not the other way around as long as it plays its cards well. That ‘neighbourhood first’ doctrine is for real
Developmental relations have been built for a long time; Indias prompt assistance during the 1988 coup attempt, led to development of trust and long-term friendly bilateral relations. India was the first to assist Maldives during the 2004 Tsunami as well as the water crisis in Malé in December 2014. These three incidents (in 1988, 2004 and 2014) have established the advantages of Indias proximity and capacity to come to Maldives rescue in distress.
India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Maldives beginning Monday to further bolster defence ties between the two countries. India and the Maldives have maintained close defence relations, with the Indian Navy and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) engaged in areas of maritime information sharing, maritime domain awareness, and capacity-building initiatives.