President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) will soon have the capacity required for continuous 24-hour monitoring and surveillance of the Maldives' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The President made the declaration during his opening statement to Parliament for the current year.
In the presidential address, President Dr. Muizzu emphasized that the MNDF should be strengthened with a modern military across land, sea, and air to defend the country. Efforts are already underway to achieve this, he said.
“The ability to monitor the country’s 900,000-square-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone 24 hours a day continuously will hopefully be established in the army soon,” he said.
While the President has expressed his intention to strengthen the MNDF's capacity, some news outlets have reported that the government has signed an agreement with a Turkish company to purchase military drones to patrol Maldivian waters. This development follows reports of Indian navy ships boarding three local fishing vessels in Maldivian waters and issuing threats.
Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry has also affirmed its dedication to ensuring that the military receives state-of-the-art facilities for land, sea, and air operations.
