Ekuverin, a joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF) concluded with a joint validation exercise in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. This was the 14th edition of the exercise between the two countries, which commenced from December 02, 2025 and concluded on December 16,2025 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. A Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles represented the Indian Army contingent of 45 personnel alongside an equal-strength of Maldivian contingent was represented by the MNDF. Major General R.D. Sharma of the Indian Army and Brigadier General Abdulla Ibrahim from the Maldivian side witnessed the validation phase along with observer delegations from both the countries.
‘Ekuverin’ means ‘friends’ in Dhivehi, underscoring the deep-rooted bonds of friendship, mutual trust and military cooperation between the two nations. This exercise was started in the year 2009 and has been conducted alternately in both the countries since then, it is emblematic of India’s neighbourhood first policy and important for stability in the Indian Ocean Region . Ekuverin exercise focused on counter-insurgency and counter terrorist operations with the aim of enhancing interoperability, operational synergy and coordination between the two forces.
