Neighbourhood First: India To Gift Fast Patrol Vessel Ship And Landing Craft To Maldives

India will gift one fast patrol vessel ship and a landing craft to Maldives during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to the island nation.

Singh will pay an official visit to the Maldives between 1 to 3 May.

During the visit, Singh will hold bilateral talks with his Maldivian counterpart Mariya Ahmed Didi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.

"The entire gamut of defence relations between the two countries will be reviewed during the deliberations," the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Sunday (30 April).

Singh will also call on Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

"In tune with India’s commitment to capacity building of friendly countries and partners in the region, Rajnath Singh will gift one Fast Patrol Vessel ship and a Landing Craft to the Maldives National Defence Forces," the ministry said.

During his stay, Singh will also visit the ongoing project sites in the country and interact with the Indian diaspora.

According to the ministry, the Defence Minister’s visit will be an important landmark in building the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries.

The ministry said that India and the Maldives are working closely to effectively address shared challenges, including maritime security, terrorism, radicalisation, piracy, trafficking, organised crime and natural disasters.

"India's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) along with its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy as well as Maldives’ ‘India First’ policy seek to work together to jointly develop the capabilities within the Indian Ocean Region," it added.