The fifth joint military training exercise between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), EKUVERIN 2014, has concluded at Maafilaafushi, the Maldives, under the supervision of Col Mohamed Shahid, Commander Northern Area, MNDF.
A total of 45 marines from the MNDF took part in the exercise along with 45 personnel from the Indian Army, represented by 9th Battalion of the Madras Regiment (TRAVANCORE).
The bilateral annual exercise, which commenced in 2009 in Belgaum, is being held alternately in India and the Maldives.
The aim of the exercise is to enhance the military cooperation between the two countries, an official release said here on Thursday.
Brigadier Samir Salunke, Station Commander, Pangode Military Station; Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor, Director General, Department of Counter Terrorism, the Maldives; and Lieutenant Colonel Abdilla Ibrahim, Principal Director, Marine Corps, MNDF, visited the Marine Corps Training Centre at Maafilaafushi to review the exercise.
A number of training activities and exercises were conducted, which included training in counter insurgency and hostage rescue missions.
Colonel Mohammed Nazim, Defence Minister and Interim Health Minister of the Maldives, along with Capt. (IN) R.S. Sunil, Defence Advisory, High Commission of India to the Maldives, interacted with the troops.
