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The 13th edition of Exercise Ekuverin, a bilateral joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), commenced in the Maldives on February 4, 2025. The exercise continues to reinforce defence and strategic ties between the two nations.

About Exercise Ekuverin

• Name Meaning: “Ekuverin” means ‘Friends’ in Dhivehi, the official language of the Maldives—symbolizing the deep and friendly defence partnership between India and the Maldives.
• First Conducted: The exercise was initiated in 2009 as part of annual bilateral defence cooperation.
• Venue Alternation: It is held alternatively in India and the Maldives every year.
  • 2023 Edition: Conducted at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand from June 11 to 24.
  • 2025 Edition: Being hosted in the Maldives.

Key Objectives and Features

• Military Interoperability: Enhances coordination and operational synergy between Indian and Maldivian armed forces.
• Counter-Insurgency and Counter-Terrorism (CI/CT): Focuses on joint tactical drills to counter modern asymmetric threats.
• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR): Equips forces to respond effectively to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
• Strengthening IOR Security: Reinforces regional maritime and strategic stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a key area of India’s strategic interest.

Significance for India-Maldives Relations

• Strategic Partnership: Builds mutual trust and defence preparedness, aligning with India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy.
• Capacity Building: Helps enhance the capability of the MNDF through joint training with a larger and more experienced Indian Army.
• Regional Security Cooperation: Plays a crucial role in maintaining peace, security, and freedom of navigation in the IOR.

India’s Defence Engagement with Southeast Asia

India actively conducts multiple bilateral and multilateral defence exercises with Southeast Asian countries to enhance defence diplomacy and promote a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.

Key Defence Exercises with Southeast Asian Nations:

• Garuda Shakti: Special Forces exercise with Indonesia (Nov 2022, Sangga Buana Training Area).
• Mitra Shakti: Annual exercise with Sri Lanka, last held in 2022.
• VINBAX: India-Vietnam bilateral exercise; 3rd edition held in 2022.
• IMBEX: India-Myanmar bilateral exercise (last noted in 2017–18).
• Maitree: Joint annual military exercise with Thailand, conducted since 2006.
• CORPAT: Coordinated Patrols with Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia for maritime domain awareness and security.
• AIME 2023: The first ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise, conducted in May 2023, involving navies from India and ASEAN nations (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam).