Joint maritime exercises were conducted at sea under exercise DOSTI-17, a trilateral exercise involving the coast guards of the Maldives, India and Sri Lanka, aimed at strengthening regional maritime security and cooperation.

According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard, the exercise is being held from January 17 to 19 and is part of a biennial training programme jointly conducted by the three countries. Exercise DOSTI was initiated 35 years ago as a bilateral engagement between the Maldives and India, and was expanded into a trilateral exercise with the inclusion of Sri Lanka in 2012.

Speaking to State media, Coast Guard Commandant Brigadier General Mohamed Saleem said several key maritime security activities were successfully carried out during the exercise. These included search and rescue operations, oil and chemical spill response measures, and maritime security training, all designed to enhance operational readiness and coordination at sea.

Brigadier General Saleem said long-term joint exercises such as DOSTI are critical for building trust and cooperation among regional partners, noting that no country can respond effectively to major maritime disasters alone. He stressed the importance of mutual assistance and collaboration, particularly during emergencies and natural disasters.

The exercise involved the deployment of coast guard ships, helicopters and Dornier aircraft from all three participating countries. Drills demonstrated coordinated responses to a range of emergency scenarios at sea, highlighting the ability of the forces to operate together under challenging conditions.

Three Indian Coast Guard assets — ICG Dornier, ICGS Atulya and ICGS Vajra — participated in the exercise, alongside SLNS Suranimala of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and vessels of the MNDF Coast Guard.

Senior officials from the MNDF, the Ministry of Defence, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the Maldives, and students of the Maldivian Cadet Corps were also present to observe the maritime operations.