The Maldives’s chief of defense forces, Major General Abdullah Samaal, speaking on the occasion of Victory Day, said no country can protect itself by remaining isolated in the modern world, Sun news reported.

The comment bears significance because of its timing. In the past few months, the Maldives has witnessed organized politically motivated protests- “India Out” protests over the alleged “excessive presence of Indian military personnel” in the country. 

Many leaders in the government, including Foreign Minister  Abdullah Shahid and Speaker Mohammed Nasheed, had warned against  repercussions of these protests on the country’s sensitive foreign relations. 

The defense chief while speaking to Public Service Media on Tuesday said, “Our water is vast. Given this vastness, it is very important for us to work in partnership with other countries. We need to work with Sri Lanka and India to make this region safe and secure.”

He further said, nations, small or large, need to engage in cooperative manners to gain protection. The Maldives lies in a strategically important location in the Indian Ocean region, making international cooperation even more important for us, Gen Samal quoted as saying by Sun news. 

Remembering Victory Day, he said, the country’s military had not been prepared for what we saw on November 3, 1988. 

The Maldives witnessed a failed coup attempt in 1988 when a Maldivian businessman, Abdullah Luthufi, with the help of 80 armed mercenaries of a Sri Lanka militant group, attempted to overthrow the government of President Abdullah Gayoom. 

The Indian military launched a campaign, codenamed Operation Cactus, to foil the bid, at the request of the government of Maldives. 19 people, including 8 National Security Personnel, lost their lives in the episode. Since then, the Maldives commemorates 3rd November as “Victory Day” each year.