Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon is scheduled to visit India from January 7 to 8, marking his first official trip to the country since assuming office.

According to reports from WION, the visit will focus on strengthening security cooperation between the two nations. This comes amidst efforts to revitalise ties between the Maldives and India, which had seen some strain following the election of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

The Defence Minister’s visit follows that of Foreign Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel, who recently completed a three-day official visit to India. During his trip, Dr Khaleel met with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and signed an agreement for the second phase of the High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) in the Maldives.

Minister Ghassan’s visit is expected to further reinforce the renewed partnership between the Maldives and India, focusing on shared security interests and regional stability.