India playing pivotal role in providing security to Maldives

T V Sriram

Male, Sept 7 (PTI) Faced with the threat of terrorism,
Maldives Monday said India was playing a major role in
providing security and was supplying radars as part of
assistance at Male's request.

Describing India as a "good partner," President Mohamed
Nasheed said the "excellent neighbour had stood by Maldives
during trying times."

The first democratically elected President of Maldives
said New Delhi was playing a major role in providing security
to its coastal border.

"We had sought assistance from India on security
matters," he told reporters here while talking about the help
New Delhi has started extending to the country in the wake of
a threat of terrorism.

India had offered naval patrol and aerial surveillance
assistance to Maldives to help serve the security interests of
the two countries in the Indian Ocean region on a recent visit
to the country by India Defence Minister A K Antony.

Brushing aside reports that India was interfering in its
affairs, he said: "It is we who asked India to provide us
radars".

Maldives witnessed its first ever terrorist attack in
September 2007 when a bomb blast in Male injured foreigners.
India had also provided assistance in investigating the
attack. (MORE) PTI