INS Sharda, an offshore patrol vessel, conducted its first-ever joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise at Maafilaafushi Atoll in the Maldives. India and Maldives HADR exercise reinforces India’s commitment to regional maritime cooperation and aligns with its strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Key Highlights
- Location: Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives (Northern atoll used for naval exercises/logistics)
- Indian Naval Asset Deployed: INS Sharda (P55)– Sukanya-class offshore patrol vessel
- Partner Force: Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF)
- Focus: HADR operations, interoperability, joint drills
Strategic Vision
Aligns with:
- India’s “MAHASAGAR” vision – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions
- “Neighbourhood First” Policy – Strengthening strategic and cultural ties with close neighbours like Maldives
Significance:
- Enhances bilateral defence cooperation and India’s image as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean
- Strengthens India’s maritime diplomacy
- Reinforces India’s maritime leadership in the Indian Ocean
- Boosts readiness of both nations for coordinated responses to natural disasters
Objectives of HADR Exercise
- Improve Interoperability between Indian Navy & MNDF
- Conduct Search & Rescue Operations
- Provide Medical and Logistical Support
- Perform Joint Drills and Training Sessions
- Ensure Community Engagement post-disaster
- Boost coordination in emergency responses
India-Maldives Defence Cooperation
2004 Tsunami Relief Operation:
- Indian Navy conducted Operation Castor to support the Maldives
Other Bilateral Exercises:
- Ekuverin – India-Maldives Army Exercise
- Ekatha – India-Maldives Navy Exercise
- Dosti – India-Maldives-Sri Lanka Trilateral Coast Guard Exercise
About INS Sharda (P55)
- Class: Sukanya-class offshore patrol vessel
- Role: Maritime patrol, surveillance, HADR, and anti-piracy missions
- Distinctions:
- Awarded ‘On the Spot Unit Citation’ in 2024 for rescuing 19 hostages from hijacked Iranian vessel Omari off Somalia
- Rescued MV Mountbatten from pirates in Gulf of Aden (2017)
About Maldives
- Region: South Asia, Indian Ocean; southwest of India and Sri Lanka
- Capital: Malé
- Geography:
- 1,200 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200+ inhabited)
- Lowest elevation country: islands rise no more than 1.8 m above sea level
- Languages: Dhivehi (official), English, Hindi, Arabic
- Religion: Islam (State religion)
- Ethnicity: Predominantly Maldivians with ancestral roots in Tamils, Sinhalese, Arabs, African & Southeast Asian traders