"No Chinese Military Presence In Maldives, But There Is Interdependence In Development, Security"

Major General Abdulla Shamaal, the Maldivian Chief of Defence Force, has made his second official visit to India. He met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and the Army and Naval Chiefs. In a comprehensive interview with SNI Associate Editor Amitabh P Revi he talks about military and security cooperation and the paradigm shift, China, the possibility of formal NSA level dialogue, the Maldivian National Defence Force commanded Indian helicopters, agreement over Dorniers for surveillance and the setting up of a coast guard repair facility. He also speaks about moves to counter terrorism and radicalism post the Sri Lanka terror attacks, joint training and the Indo-Pacific construct.

Major General Shamaal graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy with a bachelor’s degree. He has been posted twice for training in the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning. He has three Master’s degrees; in Defense and Security Analysis from the University of Lancaster, UK,  is a graduate of the Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, India, where he pursued his second master’s degree and a graduate from the National Defense University, Washington DC, USA, specialising in Strategic Security Studies.

#Maldives #India #China

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