"India-Maldives Military Exercise Ex Ekuverin Concludes with Joint Validation in Thiruvananthapuram"
The bilateral military exercise, Ex Ekuverin, involving the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF), concluded today in Thiruvananthapuram. This marked the end of two weeks of intensive and focused training with a joint validation exercise.
The final phase of the exercise was observed by Major General R D Sharma, who commands the BISON Division, and Brigadier General Abdulla Ibrahim, commanding officer at the Maldives College of Defence and Strategic Studies. Observer delegations from both countries were also present. The involvement of senior leadership highlighted the exercise's significance in strengthening defense cooperation between the two nations.
Ex Ekuverin was designed to improve interoperability, operational synergy, and tactical coordination between the forces within sub-conventional conflict scenarios. The training encompassed a wide range of counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. This included cordon and search operations, room intervention drills, small team tactics, reflex firing, and close-quarter battle techniques, all aimed at enhancing precision, speed, and operational effectiveness.
Special focus was given to amphibious drills, intelligence-led operations, real-time decision-making, and joint mission planning in dynamic and evolving operational settings. Maldivian troops received practical training in handling explosives, demolition techniques, and advanced field craft, significantly boosting their capacity to neutralize threats and safeguard sensitive areas.
The validation exercise effectively tested and confirmed the achievement of all outlined training objectives. Senior officers from both nations expressed satisfaction with the high levels of professionalism, coordination, and proficiency demonstrated by the participating contingents.
Ex Ekuverin reinforced the shared commitment of India and the Maldives to deepen professional military cooperation and promote peace, stability, and security in the Indian Ocean Region.
