India-Maldives joint military exercise begins
New Delhi, Dec 2: The 14th edition of Exercise Ekuverin, the annual joint military drill between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), began in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
The two-week exercise, scheduled from December 2 to 15, aims to sharpen interoperability and strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries. The Indian Army is fielding a 45-member contingent from a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, while the MNDF has deployed an equal number of personnel.
Ekuverin means “friends” in Dhivehi, symbolising the long-standing friendship, trust and military partnership shared by India and the Maldives. The exercise has been held alternately in both countries since 2009 and remains a key pillar of India’s Neighbourhood First policy.
Officials said this year’s edition will focus on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism drills across jungle, semi-urban and coastal terrain, reflecting shared security concerns in the Indian Ocean Region. Joint training modules will include tactical manoeuvres, weapon handling, fieldcraft, and joint operational planning, with both sides exchanging best practices to enhance mission readiness. The exercise comes at a time of expanding defence cooperation between India and the Maldives, including training, capacity-building programmes and maritime security collaboration in the wider Indian Ocean.
