Navy intensified engagement with Maldives, INS Sharda docks in Maldives for humanitarian aid drill
New Delhi, May 5: The Navy has intensified its engagement with the Maldives, highlighting New Delhi’s commitment to a secure and resilient Indian Ocean Region. Indian naval ship INS Sharda arrived at Maafilaafushi Atoll to participate in a week-long Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The joint drill, from May 4 to 10, aims to bolster interoperability in critical areas such as disaster response coordination, search and rescue operations, medical aid, logistics, and community outreach.
The deployment is part of India’s broader “MAHASAGAR” initiative (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), a strategic vision that promotes collective maritime security and sustainable development across the Indo-Pacific. Officials from the Ministry of Defence described the exercise as a practical step toward ensuring joint preparedness in the face of increasingly frequent natural disasters like cyclones and tsunamis. “This deployment is a testament to the strong defence and maritime cooperation between India and the Maldives,” the ministry stated, reiterating India’s focus on peace, stability, and humanitarian resilience in the region.
The HADR drill follows closely on the heels of another high-profile naval engagement. Three days earlier, Indian guided missile destroyer INS Kochi docked in Malé, accompanying the Maldivian Coast Guard ship Huravee, which had completed a four-month refit at India’s Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. At a formal handover ceremony at the MNDF Coast Guard Jetty, India’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, G. Balasubramanian, transferred command of Huravee to MNDF Chief of Defence Force, Major General Ibrahim Hilmy.
The event was attended by senior military officials from both countries and reinforced New Delhi’s long-standing role as a key maritime partner to the island nation.
Commissioned in 2015, INS Kochi is among the Indian Navy’s most advanced stealth destroyers and forms part of its Western Fleet under the Western Naval Command.
As the Indian Ocean becomes increasingly central to global trade and security, India’s twin-track approach—combining humanitarian preparedness with defence collaboration—demonstrates a consistent effort to cement its position as a net security provider in the region. For the Maldives, it reaffirms a crucial partnership in times of both crisis and peace.
