**Summary:**
On May 5, 2025, the Indian Ministry of Defence announced the arrival of INS Sharda at Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives, for a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise conducted from May 4-10, 2025. This initiative reflects India's dedication to regional cooperation and the strong defence and maritime partnership between India and the Maldives. The exercise aligns with India's "MAHASAGAR" vision, which promotes collaborative security and growth in the Indian Ocean Region. The HADR exercise focuses on enhancing interoperability between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) through activities such as disaster response coordination, search and rescue operations, medical assistance, logistical support, joint drills, training sessions, and community engagement in the event of a major natural disaster. This collaborative effort aims to strengthen the partnership between India and the Maldives and improve their collective readiness to respond to humanitarian challenges.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence: The Indian government ministry responsible for defence.
INS Sharda: An Indian Naval Ship.
Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives: Location where INS Sharda arrived for HADR exercise.
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR): Type of exercise conducted between India and Maldives.
India: One of the participating countries.
Maldives: One of the participating countries.
MAHASAGAR: India's vision for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF): The defence force of the Maldives.
Ministry of Defence
INS SHARDA ARRIVES MAAFILAAFUSHI,
MALDIVES FOR HADR EXERCISE
Posted On: 05 MAY 2025 1:57PM by PIB Delhi
In line with India’s commitment towards regional cooperation, INS Sharda arrived at Maafilaafushi Atoll,
Maldives, for a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise planned from 04 to 10
May 25. This deployment is a testament to the strong defence and maritime cooperation between India and
the Maldives. It aligns with India’s "MAHASAGAR" (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and
Growth Across Regions) vision, emphasising collaborative efforts to ensure peace, stability, and prosperity
in the Indian Ocean Region.
This HADR exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the Indian Navy and the Maldives
National Defence Force (MNDF). It will focus on actions like Disaster Response Coordination, Search
and Rescue Operations, Medical Assistance, Logistical Support, Joint Drills, Training
Sessions, and Community Engagement following a major natural disaster.
Through such collaborative efforts, India and the Maldives continue strengthening their partnership and
ensuring readiness to respond effectively to natural disasters and other humanitarian challenges._____________________________________________________________
VM/SKS
(Release ID: 2126999)