Army to hold joint exercise with Maldives in Belagavi

BENGALURU: The eighth edition of joint army exercise between Indian and Maldivian armies ‘EKUVERIN’ will be held from December 15 to 28 at Belagavi, Karnataka. According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, the bilateral annual exercise is a 14-day joint military training between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force, which is conducted alternatively in India and Maldives.
The seventh edition of the exercise was held at Kadhdhoo, Lammu Atoll, Maldives in December 2016. EKUVERIN means friends in the Maldivian language.

The focus of the exercise is to acquaint both armies with each others’ operating procedures in the backdrop of a counter insurgency/counter terrorist operations in an urban/semi-urban environment under the United Nations (UN) charter, with an overall aim to enhance interoperability between the two armies.
The two-week long exercise will see the contingents hone their tactical and technical skills. The exercise will also give an opportunity for the two armies to activate the Joint Operations Centre at Belagavi.

The Maldivian National Defence Force will be represented by a team comprising two officers and 43 other ranks, while the Indian Army will be represented by three officers, three Junior Commissioned Officers and 39 other ranks belonging to a Gorkha Rifles Battalion (Sirmoor Rifles).