Times of India has reported that the government of India will offer to install coastal surveillance radar systems in the Maldives. According to the newspaper, India will officially make the offer during Defence Minister Mariya Didi’s visit to India this week.
This will be the second time the government of India offers to install the radar systems in Maldives. Previously during President Yamen’s administration, India made a similar offer but President Yameen refused to install Indian radars in the Maldives.
At the moment, Maldives is the only country in the Indian ocean without Indian Coastal Radar Systems. Older versions of radars are installed in Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. India has also offered to install the radars in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand.
The government of Maldives has not officially accepted the offer to install the radar systems, but it is likely that the Defence Minister will sign an agreement to install the radars during her visit to India.
Relations between Maldives and India was at an all time low during President Yameen’s administration, especially after the government requested to take back the helicopters operated by the Indian Army in the Maldives.
India-Maldives relations started to improve as soon as President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih took office. Prime Minister of India Mr.Narendra Modi attended the oath taking ceremony of Mr.Solih. President Solih also announced that the helicopters will not be returned.
