India has donated 72 vehicles to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), further strengthening defence ties between the two nations. The handover took place this evening at the President’s Office during the official visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Maldives.

Prime Minister Modi handed over the vehicles on behalf of the Indian Government, while President Dr Mohamed Muizzu accepted them on behalf of the Maldives.

The donation is part of an agreement signed earlier this year between India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Maldivian Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon during the latter’s visit to India.

The fleet includes eight 27-seater buses, ten pickups, ten mini vans, ten vans, five lorries, eight tractors, four tipper dump trucks, four backhoe loaders, two cranes, six mini excavators, and five standard excavators.

These vehicles are expected to significantly boost the operational readiness of the MNDF and support national infrastructure development and disaster response capabilities.