Maldives to join Indian security net during Antony's visit

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) India will get a firmer
foothold in the Indian Ocean with Defence Minister A K Antony
visiting Maldives this month to finalise military pacts for
bringing the island nation into its security net.

Antony will also hold talks with Maldivian top brass,
clinching agreements to place India's military assets
including radars to provide surveillance cover to the island
nation and to have Indian warships patrol its waters against
possible terrorist attacks and sea pirates, India's Defence
Ministry sources said Thursday.

The Defence Minister will be accompanied during the
August 20 to 22 visit by senior Navy officers, who will share
their experience of securing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
chain with their Maldivian counterparts.

Under these pacts, India is expected to base two of
its helicopters in Maldives to enhance its surveillance cover
and to quickly respond to emergencies in case of threats.

Antony is likely to hand over the first helicopter
from the Indian Coast Guard to Maldives during this visit and
the other helicopter from the Navy would be transferred to the
island nation later, sources said.

Maldives will also get coastal radars placed in all 26
atolls soon to keep a watch on all vessels and aircraft
approaching the island nation. At present it has only two of
its atolls with radar cover.

Interestingly, the Maldivian radar network would be
linked to the Indian coastal radar system. After the Mumbai
terror attacks, India has already embarked on a project to
network all radars along its 7,500-km long coastline.

India's and Maldives' radar systems would have a
common control room, which will come under the newly set up
Coastal Command.

The Kochi-based Southern Naval Command's area of
operation will extend till the Maldivian shores and the Coast
Guard's Dornier aircraft would carry out regular surveillance
and reconnaissance sorties into Maldivian airspace and waters.

Military officials from the island nation would also
visit the Andaman and Nicobar Command to study Indian security
apparatus for the strategically important islands.

These moves come following interest evinced by
Maldives in joining the Indian security net recently and
extensive talks in this regard during the June 30 visit of
National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and then Defence and
Foreign Secretaries.

The two countries already have security cooperation
agreements, particularly against sea-borne terrorism and
piracy.

India had in 2006 gifted INS Tillanchang, a fast
attack craft, to Maldives and had also repaired it last year.

In 1988, India had sent its troops (Operation Cactus)
to foil a coup attempt by Tamil rebels from Sri Lanka
following a distress call from the island nation's president
Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom. PTI NCB
DDC
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