Maldives declined to participate in naval exercise : Navy chief
New Delhi, Feb 27 (IBNS) : The Maldives declined Indian Navy’s invitation to attend an eight-day multilateral naval exercise, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said on Tuesday.
“Maldives has declined India’s invite for biennial naval exercise beginning March 6,” media reports quoted the Navy chief as saying at a programme.
The Indian ocean island-state has been under a state of emergency following a political turmoil.
The multilateral naval exercise named ‘Milan’ is being hosted by Indian Navy at Port Blair with the underlying theme of “friendship across the seas”.
Lanba said 16 countries will participate in the biennial naval exercise from March 6 to 13.
Ties between India and Maldives are thought to have turned lukewarm ever since the island nation ratified a free-trade agreement (FTA) with China in its Parliament.
Also, India has recently expressed “deep dismay” over Maldives’ decision to extend the state of emergency for anKeyother 30 days.
MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India desires to see that democracy is fully resorted in Maldives, now being ruled by President Abdulla Yameen, who has launched a brutal crackdown on the entire opposition.
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