Seeking to strengthen military ties with India, Maldivian Defence Minister Col Mohammed Nazim will be visiting India in the second week of April.
This is the first visit by a senior Maldivian Minister to India after the recent political turbulence there due to a tussle between the Waheed Government and former President Mohammed Nasheed.
During the visit, Nazim will hold discussions with Defence Minister A K Antony and is also expected to meet the senior Indian military leadership including the three Services chiefs, Defence ministry officials said.
Nazim was invited by Antony during his three-day visit to Male last year in September.
Male is also seen to be moving towards China in the recent times as soon after Antony’s visit, Nazim had visited Beijing where the two sides decided to expand military cooperation.
During Antony’s visit, India and Maldives had agreed to augment cooperation in defence and security to deal with common security threats.
He had inaugurated ‘Senahiya’, a military hospital built with Indian assistance there, and also decided to station a Defence Attache there besides training Maldivian helicopter pilots and defence personnel.
After the visit, the Indian Army and Maldivian forces had held a military exercise in India.