In addition, two other Sri Lankan navy officers will receive training in India to embark onto ICGS Samar from Kochi that will leave for the Maldives. The coast guard will subsequently drop them off at Colombo after the exercise concludes.

India would be hoping to continue its momentum at Maldives, following a major diplomatic victory over China in the Indian Ocean Region as it became the “tallest friend” of the new establishment in Maldives.

The anti-Chinese sentiment also came from the new administration’s backers including the former Maldivian President Mohammed Nasheed, who already stated that there would be a forensic audit of the Chinese-supported infrastructure projects that resulted in huge debts.

Other than that, the defeat of Abdulla Yameen, who was working closely with China and against the Indian interests in Male, is also being observed as a major victory for India in its neighbourhood, which is being poached by the Chinese for creating strategic outposts on the world’s busiest sea lanes for trade and commerce.