The naval ship donated to the Maldives by the Turkish government to enhance the security of Maldivian waters has arrived in the Maldives.
The Ministry of Defence in April this year announced the Turkish government’s decision to donate a Doğan-class naval ship to the Maldives to support maritime security operations in Maldivian waters.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said preparations are underway between the two countries to formally hand over the naval ship to the MNDF and hold a commissioning ceremony to induct it into the MNDF fleet.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the donation of the naval ship is the direct result of President and the Commander-in-Chief of the MNDF, Mohamed Muizzu’s efforts to strengthen relations with friendly nations and advance his goal of doubling the National Coast Guard’s capacity.
The introduction of this vessel into the service will significantly help the Maldives to fulfill its role as a responsible member of the international community in ensuring the security and safety of the Maldivian waters as well as the wider Indian Ocean region. The Ministry described the acquisition as an important step forward in ensuring that the members of the Defence Force are capable and competent in this capacity, in line with the goal set out by the President.
President Muizzu has prioritised the protection of the Maldives’ freedom, sovereignty, and independence of the Maldives since taking office. From the first day he took office, he began implementing policies to uphold these principles. Shortly after taking office, he inaugurated the MNDF Air Corps and introduced unmanned aerial vehicles. The Air Corps of the National Defence Force has also brought into service Turkish-made Bayraktar model unmanned combat aerial vehicles.