Source: ET
Context: INS Sharda arrived at Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives to participate in a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise.
About Maldives:
- South Asia, located in the north-central Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and India.
- Capital: Malé – also the most populous city.
- Geography:
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- An archipelago of ~1,200 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls, of which ~200 are inhabited.
- Low-lying terrain: None of the islands rise above 1.8 metres (6 feet).
- Protected by barrier reefs from monsoon damage.
- Strategic Atoll: Maafilaafushi – a northern atoll often used for naval exercises and logistics support.
- Official Language: Dhivehi (Maldivian), an Indo-Aryan language.
- Other spoken languages: Arabic, Hindi, English.
- Religion: Islam is the state religion.
- Ethnic Composition:
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- Dominated by Maldivian ethnic group, with ancestry tracing to Tamils, Sinhalese, Arabs, and traders from Africa and Southeast Asia.
- Strategic Importance:
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- Lies on major global shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean.
- Serves as a critical maritime partner for India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR doctrines.
- Proximity to Lakshadweep (~400 km) enhances India’s naval surveillance and regional outreach.
