India will be developing a Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard Harbour at Sifvaru –Uthuru Thilafalhu(UTF), the pact for which was signed on Sunday. The pact was signed during Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s two-day Maldives visit.
EAM in a tweet said, “Glad to sign with Defence Minister Mariya Didi the UTF Harbour Project agreement. Will strengthen Maldivian Coast Guard capability and facilitate regional HADR efforts. Partners in development, partners in security.”
Work on the project will be completed in two phases and expected to be completed in three years. The pact aims to “develop, support and maintain” the harbour and is part of the request made by the Maldivian government in April 2013 to the Indian government to enhance the capability of the Maldivian Defence forces.
Requests were also sent by Male to Delhi in October 2015, March 2016. The coast guard pact was also key during April 2016 Action Plan for Defence Cooperation under the…