India Seeks Help in Fighting Terrorism

The Indian Home Secretary, V.K. Duggal, has left Male’ after a two-day good will visit focused on improving coastal security.

Secretary Duggal’s visit was primarily aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, and emphasised ways in which the countries could cooperate in tackling terrorism, organised crime and drug smuggling.

Duggal and a four-man delegation came to Male’ following recent claims by intelligence agencies which claimed the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba was planning to use uninhabited islands in the Indian Ocean as a base for attacking ships along the Indian coastline.

In November, India’s Home Minister, Shivrai Patil expressed grave concern when he revealed that the coastal waters near India were “coming under increased threats from terrorist groups”.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, one of the largest and most active Islamic terrorist organisations in South Asia, is currently based in Pakistan and has a history of carrying out major terrorist attacks against the Republic of India.

Lashkar’s agenda, outlined in a pamphlet titled “Why are we waging jihad”, includes the restoration of Islamic rule over all parts of South Asia, Russia and China. The Maldives has vowed to do all it can to protect its northern neighbour from any type of terrorist attack.

The Maldives and India have a history of alliance. In 1988 India signed a defence and security cooperation with the Maldives, which resulted in New Delhi training the Maldives’ defence and police personnel and supplying equipment.

The Coast Guards of the two nations also conduct a biannual training exercise, and Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships regularly visit the Maldives on goodwill and operational turn round (OTR) visits.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)