News: Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy is undertaking an official visit to the Maldives from 15 to 17 December 2025 to attend the closing ceremony of Exercise EKATHA 2025.
About Exercise EKATHA 2025
- Exercise EKATHA 2025 was the eighth edition of the annual bilateral maritime exercise.
- Conducted between: Indian Navy and Maldives National Defence Force.
- The exercise was instituted in 2017 with the objective of strengthening maritime cooperation between India and Maldives.
- Objectives: It sought to improve operational synergy in maritime and littoral environments. The exercise focused on addressing shared regional maritime security challenges.
- Importance
- Major training activities: The exercise included technical and combat diving drills to enhance underwater operational capability.
- Asymmetric warfare tactics were practiced to counter irregular and non-conventional threats.
- Special heli-borne operation drills were conducted to enhance rapid insertion and extraction capabilities.
- Professional interactions and cooperation:
- The exercise facilitated extensive professional interactions between personnel of both navies.
- Strategic Importance:
- Exercise EKATHA 2025 reinforced the strong defence and maritime partnership between India and Maldives.
- It aligned with India’s vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth for All in the Region and the Neighbourhood First Policy.
- Major training activities: The exercise included technical and combat diving drills to enhance underwater operational capability.
