Indian warship doing exercise at Maldives-OxBig News Network

In line with India’s commitment towards regional cooperation, Indian Navy warship INS Sharda is at Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives, for a week long (May 4-10) Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise.

This deployment is a testament to the strong defence and maritime cooperation between India and the Maldives. It aligns with India’s ‘MAHASAGAR’ (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, emphasising collaborative efforts to ensure peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region.

This HADR exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). It will focus on actions like disaster response coordination, search and rescue operations, medical assistance, logistical support, joint drills, training sessions, and community engagement following a major natural disaster.

Through such collaborative efforts, India and the Maldives continue strengthening their partnership and ensuring readiness to respond effectively to natural disasters and other humanitarian challenges.

Just last week, another Indian warship, INS Kochi, was at Maldives to escort a Maldivian ship from Mumbai. The Maldivian ship had been re-fitted at Mumbai.