Maldivian Defence Minister Visits IDSA

September 13, 2011

New Delhi, Sept. 13, 2011: Mr Tholhath Ibrahim, Defence Minister of Maldives visited Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) on 13 September 2011 for interaction with scholars. Mr. Ibrahim is on an official visit of India at the invitation of Sri A. K. Antony, Raksha Mantri.

During wide ranging interaction with IDSA scholars, issues of global, regional and mutual interests were discussed. Mr. Ibrahim emphasised the strategic importance of India-Maldives relations and expressed hope that these would grow in future to mutual interest.

Appreciating that government to government relations between the two countries were growing satisfactorily, he stressed the need for enhancing people to people relations. He showed particular interest in the functioning of IDSA and hoped that IDSA could help build a similar high quality think tank in Maldives. He felt that the two sides could enhance co-operation in the area of counter-terrorism.