India-Maldives partnership a ‘real force of stability’ for Indian Ocean region

Jaishankar made the remarks while inaugurating the National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE) in the Maldives’ Addu city

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday that India and the Maldives share a deep and abiding friendship and their partnership is of great consequence and a “real force of stability” and prosperity for the Indian Ocean region.

Mr. Jaishankar made the remarks while inaugurating the National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE) in the Maldives’ Addu city — one of India’s largest grant funded projects in the island nation — in the presence of Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

He termed the project “a real symbol of our development partnership” and congratulated the Maldives Police service on their new training centre, saying it will serve to strengthen the traditions of exchanges and training between the Police forces of Maldives and India.

“India and Maldives share a deep and abiding friendship. Today, our relationship is so full of promises and possibilities for our youth and for our future generations. It is also a partnership of great consequence and a real force of stability and prosperity for the Indian Ocean Region,” he said.

“I am confident that NCPLE will be one such flagship institution which would radiate this message. I congratulate President Solih, the Government and People of Maldives, and in particular, the officers of the Maldives Police Services on its inauguration,” the Minister said.

On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) and the Maldives Police Force to support the up-gradation of police infrastructure across the archipelago.

The NCPLE is an apex grant project for the Government of India. “We hope that the NCPLE will soon grow into an iconic institution that churns out the best brains and bodies to face the challenges that confront any modern police force,” Jaishankar said, adding that India has increased the number of training slots for the Maldives at its police academy to 8.