India, Maldives vow to realize maritime security partnership

India and Maldives Wednesday "reasserted the firm commitment" to work closely in realizing the joint vision for India-Maldives comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership, according to an official statement.

It was resolved during a meeting between visiting Maldivian Defense Minister Mohammed Ghassan Maumoon and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.

Both the leaders "comprehensively reviewed various aspects of bilateral defense & security cooperation," the Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Singh reaffirmed India's "readiness to support the Maldives in capability enhancement for defense preparedness, including provisioning of defense platforms and assets to augment its capacities," the statement said.

Maumoon thanked "New Delhi for assisting Male in augmenting the modern infrastructural capacities and training of defense and security personnel."

"On the government of Maldives' request, India handed over defense equipment and stores to the Maldives," the ministry noted.

The visit is part of continued high-level engagements between the two sides, the ministry said, adding: "It has provided an opportunity to further deepen the bilateral defense and security ties for the mutual benefit of the two countries and the Indian Ocean Region."

The visit of the Maldives defense minister, who is on his first official visit to India, follows the visit of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu to India in October last year.