Abhay Kumar Singh replies: Strategic geography defines the geo-strategic importance of Maldives far beyond its physical size. Despite being the smallest Asian country with a land area of just 300 sq. km. and a population of around 480,000, Maldives is one of the world’s most geographically dispersed countries straddling a 960-km-long submarine ridge running north to south and which forms a wall in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Enriching the Defence Contours of India-Maldives Relations
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh’s visit to Maldives has strengthened the countries’ long-standing ties and expanded defence cooperation.