India–Maldives 14th Military Exercise ‘Ekuverin’ Begins in Kerala

The 14th edition of the bilateral exercise EKUVERIN between India and Maldives has begun. It will be held from 2 December 2025 to the 15th of this month in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

• The 14th edition of India-Maldives bilateral exercise EKUVERIN will be held from 2 December 2025 to the 15th of this month in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The Indian Army said in a social media post that this exercise will be between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces.
• Ekuverin means ‘friend’ in the Dhivehi language, which began in 2009. It is a bilateral military annual exercise that is held alternately in India and Maldives.

Aim of exercise Ekuverin:

• Its aim is to enhance interoperability in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations and to conduct joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
• It was held in Maldives in Feb 2025. In 2023, it was held in Chaubattia, Uttarakhand.
• The aim of this exercise is to enhance interoperability while conducting counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban, jungle, and coastal areas.
• It further stated that to enhance interoperability, the countries will share best practices with a focus on integration of special technology, which shows the shared commitment of India and Maldives to peace and security in this region.

Meaning of Ekuverin

• Ekuverin means ‘friends’, it is a bilateral annual exercise conducted alternately between India and Maldives. Ekuverin is one of the three major joint exercises between India and Maldives.
• The two bilateral exercises are “Ekuverin” and “Ekatha” and the trilateral one is “Dosti”, in which Sri Lanka is also included.
• India has played an important role for a long time as a security provider, particularly through Operation Cactus (1988), which foiled a coup attempt.
• The Prime Minister of India participated as the chief guest in the 60th Independence Day celebrations of Maldives, which marks the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations between the two countries.
• The two countries inaugurated major infrastructure projects, including roads and drainage in Addu City, 6 community development projects, and 3,300 social housing units.
• India donated two Aarogya Maitri Health Cubes (BHISHM), which are capable of providing emergency medical assistance to more than 200 injured people.