A day after India and the Maldives held the fifth round of defence talks which decided to expedite the implementation of the ongoing defence projects, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Saturday had extensive talks with Maldives' Chief of Defence Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy.
The talks between the two top military officials were focused on resetting the military ties that came under strain after President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office in November.
READ MORE: India, Maldives hold defence dialogue focusing on Indian Ocean
According to media reports, the talks were aimed at furthering bilateral defence cooperation, especially on steps to boost regional security and enhance bilateral training opportunities. Cooperation in the maritime security domain is understood to have dominated the discussions as Maldives is a key player in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain since Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office around 10 months back.
Major General Ibrahim Hilmy, Chief of Defence Force of Maldives National Defence Force, alongwith a delegation of Commandants of Marine Corps, Services Corps and Coast Guard called on General Anil Chauhan, #CDS_India.
— HQ IDS (@HQ_IDS_India) September 7, 2024
Discussions held on furthering #DefenceCooperation between… pic.twitter.com/TTdG0sVynW
On Friday, the defence ministry had said the fifth round of defence dialogue provided both sides with an opportunity to discuss matters related to bilateral defence cooperation.
"This, inter alia, included expediting the implementation of various ongoing defence cooperation projects," it said.
"The two sides also deliberated on a few other areas of common interest such as high-level exchanges and capability development projects," the ministry said.
—With PTI inputs
