By Swetha Anil Kumar
The troops from the Southern Command of the Indian Army headquartered in Pune, with MNDF have begun the Joint Military Exercise Ekuverin at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on Tuesday. Their main focus this year will be to undertake Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism (CI-CT) operations across jungle, semi-urban and coastal terrains.
In a press release, the Army said that the 14th edition of Exercise Ekuverin is being held from December 2 to 15. The Indian contingent consisted of 45 personnel from the Southern Command and the Maldivian team had the same number of personnel from the MNDF.
The Press release also explained that “Ekuverin” means “friends” in Dhivehi, a fitting name that reflects the long-standing friendship, trust and defence cooperation shared by India and the Maldives.
The exercise is held alternately in both countries since 2009 and continues to strengthen the ties between both countries. Ekuverin, according to the Army, stands as a strong example of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and its commitment to building long-lasting and strong partnerships with neighbouring and friendly countries.
Editions of this exercise that were hosted earlier in India have also taken place in Pune and Belagavi, which has added to the significance of this long-running collaboration.
The Army added that the exercise allows troops from both sides to exchange best practices, refine tactical drills and plan joint operations, all of them aimed at improving their ability to overcome security challenges in the region.
The release also noted that this Exercise
reflects the growing defence cooperation between India and the Maldives and their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.