The Chief of the Naval Staff of India, Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar, on Tuesday, paid a courtesy call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The meeting was held at the President's Office.
At the call, the President welcomed the Admiral to the Maldives. He remarked that defense cooperation is an integral aspect of the Maldives-India relationship and that military cooperation between the two countries had increased over the past three years.
Speaking at the call, the Admiral assured the continued cooperation in the defense sector, citing that India and the Maldives hold numerous joint exercises, maritime safety, and patrolling in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Concluding the call, President Solih wished the Admiral a fruitful visit to the Maldives.
While defense cooperation between Maldives and India has strengthened, the Maldives government has not disclosed the defense agreements between both countries. The opposition has claimed that the agreements threaten the independence and sovereignty of the Maldives, and are beneficial only to India.
Photo: The President's Office
