Defense Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi has said that the Maldives was taking attacks on neighbouring countries very seriously and taking necessary steps since our economy is heavily dependent on the tourism sector.

Minister Mariya made the statement while sharing an interview with India's "The Hindhu" news.

In the interview, Minister Mariya said that the April 21 serial bombings in Sri Lanka not only shook the island, but also sparked considerable fear in South Asia, especially in Maldives. Almost immediately after the Sri Lanka attacks, the island nation heightened security measures and began strengthening its response mechanisms to tackle a possible terror threat. Amid reports of dozens of Maldivians joining militant Islamist organisations abroad, the country is also taking steps to address radicalisation, which is a concern for the Maldivian government.

"There is no specific or imminent terrorist threat detected. However, in today’s world, we can never really entirely rule out the possibility of one. Therefore, in the interest of vigilance, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and Maldives Police Service have been holding joint, special emergency response exercises, testing various scenarios," Mariya said.

In addition this, other security organisations such as the Aviation Security Command, Maldives Customs Service, and Maldives Immigration have also heightened their security levels.

The Minister also talked about Maldivians who had joined the civil war in Syria during the interview.

"It is difficult to give an official figure. It is an offence punishable by several years of imprisonment to engage in a foreign war. Therefore, those who have travelled to join foreign wars have travelled under the guise of travelling to friendly countries," she added.

The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) gets its numbers from relatives and others who come forward and report that someone they know have travelled abroad to join foreign wars.

The NCTC puts the current figure at 69, excluding women and children.