India, Maldives hold military exercise in southern India

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – India and the Maldives have begun a joint military exercise in southern India, the Indian Army said Wednesday.

The 14th edition of the exercise, known as “Ekuverin,” commenced Tuesday at Thiruvananthapuram in the southern state of Kerala, the Indian Army wrote on US social media company X.

Ekuverin, which translates to “friends,” “underscores the deep-rooted bonds of friendship, mutual trust and military cooperation between the two nations,” the Indian Defense Ministry said in a separate statement. The drill will continue until Dec. 15.

The ministry said the two-week-long exercise aims to “enhance interoperability and operational synergy in Counter-Insurgency and Counter-Terrorism operations across jungle, semi-urban and coastal terrain.”

“It will witness participation of troops from both sides sharing best practices, tactical drills and joint operational planning to strengthen their capability to respond to common security challenges in the region,” the ministry said.

The 13th edition of Ekuverin was held in the Maldives earlier this year in February.