President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu today denied rumors that the Maldives Armed Forces are planning to purchase missiles. Responding to a question from a journalist during a press conference at the President’s Office, President Dr. Muizzu said that they are neither “buying missiles” nor “seeking missiles”.
“An ambassador from a foreign country who came to meet me expressed great concern about the missile story. I said no, these are completely false stories. We are not trying to buy missiles. We are not buying missiles, nor are we trying to acquire them,” the President said. President Dr. Muizzu said that as part of the close relationship between the Maldives and Turkey, Turkey has decided to gift a warship to the Maldives. President Dr. Muizzu said that the vessel is not one equipped with missiles.
“This is a size that has not been in the Maldives until now. We didn’t have to incur any expenses,” the President said. According to the Turkish newspaper Anadolu Agency, citing officials from the country’s defense ministry, Turkey is bringing a Dogan-class vessel capable of missile attacks, namely the TCG Volkan (P-343) corvette.
The Ministry of Defense said that bringing the military warship gifted by Turkey is a very important step towards achieving President Muizzu’s goal of strengthening the capability of the Maldivian military to fully play its role as a responsible member of the international community in ensuring the security of the Maldivian seas and maintaining the safety and security of the Indian Ocean. A team of Maldivian soldiers is currently undergoing training in Turkey in preparation for bringing this vessel to the Maldives, putting it into service with the Maldives National Defense Force, and preparing to operate it.
The Ministry of Defense said that this capability being added to the military service will be a very significant force in ensuring the security of the Maldivian territory and exclusive economic zone, and the safety of the people, as stipulated in the law.”
