Committee Convenes Closed Meeting on Indian Coast Guard Matter

The Parliament’s Committee has opted for a closed-door session for its upcoming meeting, during which Minister of Defence Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon is slated to appear in response to summons.

The summoning of Minister Ghassan pertains to the recent incidents involving Indian Coast Guard interception of local fishing vessels within the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

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The Defence Ministry, in correspondence with the committee, has addressed the matter at hand. As a result, the Committee has resolved to maintain confidentiality by closing the discussion pertaining to the ministry’s letter.

At the close of January, three fishing vessels operating in the northern seas of the Maldives encountered intervention from armed Indian Coast Guard personnel.

In a subsequent statement, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) confirmed the identity of the foreign personnel involved as members of the Boarding Teams from Indian Coast Guard Ship 246 and Indian Coast Guard Ship 253.

The MNDF highlighted that the government formally requested clarification from the Indian authorities regarding the circumstances that led to the boarding and operation conducted on Maldivian vessels within the nation’s EEZ. This action, performed without coordination with Maldivian authorities and seemingly in contravention of the Law of the Sea Convention, raised significant concerns.

As of present, no official response from the Indian government has been forthcoming regarding the matter.

The decision by Parliament to summon the Defence Minister underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for clarity on both the incident itself and the government’s response.