The bilateral military exercise Ex Ekuverin between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF) culminated today at Thiruvananthapuram with a joint validation exercise, marking the successful completion of two weeks of rigorous and focused training.
The culmination phase was witnessed by Major General R D Sharma, General Officer Commanding, BISON Division, and Brigadier General Abdulla Ibrahim, Commanding Officer, College of Defence and Strategic Studies, Maldives, along with observer delegations from both nations. The presence of senior leadership underscored the importance of the exercise in strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.
Ex Ekuverin was structured to enhance interoperability, operational synergy and tactical coordination between the two forces in sub-conventional conflict scenarios. Training modules covered a wide spectrum of counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, including cordon and search operations, room intervention drills, small team tactics, reflex firing and close-quarter battle techniques, aimed at improving precision, speed and operational effectiveness.
Special emphasis was placed on amphibious drills, intelligence-led operations, real-time decision-making and joint mission planning under dynamic and evolving operational environments. Maldivian troops were also provided hands-on exposure to the handling of explosives, demolition techniques and advanced field craft, significantly enhancing their capability to neutralise threats and secure sensitive areas.
The validation exercise successfully tested and confirmed the attainment of all laid-down training objectives. Senior officers from both sides expressed satisfaction with the high standards of professionalism, coordination and proficiency displayed by the participating contingents.
Ex Ekuverin reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Maldives towards deepening professional military cooperation and enhancing peace, stability and security in the Indian Ocean Region.
