India-Maldives joint military exercise Ekuverin begins in Kerala

thiruvananthapuram: the 14th edition of exercise ekuverin, the annual joint military drill between the indian army and the maldives national defence force (mndf), commenced here on tuesday. the exercise will run till december 15.an indian army contingent of 45 personnel from a battalion of the garhwal rifles is participating alongside an equal number of mndf troops.'ekuverin', which means “friends” in dhivehi, symbolises the longstanding bonds of friendship, mutual trust and defence cooperation between india and the maldives. conducted alternately in both countries since 2009, the exercise forms a key component of india's neighbourhood first policy and its efforts to strengthen defence ties with friendly nations in the region.the two-week exercise aims to enhance interoperability and operational coordination in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations across jungle, semi-urban and coastal terrain. troops will engage in joint tactical drills, share best practices and carry out integrated planning to improve their collective response to regional security challenges.officials said the exercise reflects the deepening defence partnership between the two countries and their shared commitment to peace and stability in the indian ocean region.