MNDF deploys sea, air assets to monitor disputed southern SEZ

Maldives National Defence Force on Thursday launched a surveillance operation to monitor the Maldives’ southern Special Economic Zone (SEZ), including maritime areas subject to a dispute with Mauritius.

The headquarters of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled on 28 April 2024 on the delimitation of maritime boundaries between the Maldives and Mauritius. The tribunal held that the separation of the sea area should be considered primarily from the coast of the Chagos Islands, as argued by the Maldives.

Under the ruling, the tribunal divided a total area of 92,563 square kilometres between the two countries. The Maldives was allocated 47,232 square kilometres, while Mauritius was allocated 45,331 square kilometres.

At the time, the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives–People’s National Congress (PPM-PNC), which later formed the government, said the ruling resulted in the loss of a significant portion of the southern economic zone. After assuming office, President Mohamed Muizzu pledged to restore the disputed maritime area.

In his presidential address at the opening sitting of Parliament on Thursday, President Muizzu said the Maldives’ Special Economic Zone includes the disputed sea area and that the country’s territorial extent remains unchanged.

The Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Thursday that the MNDF will continue to maintain control of the southern maritime area in line with the President’s decision, stating that defending and safeguarding the territory and the Special Economic Zone is the responsibility of the armed forces.

“It is in the interest of the State and its people to defend, protect and maintain the territory of the Maldives. The Maldives National Defence Force will carry out its duties within the scope of its capabilities,” the ministry said.

In a post on X, the MNDF said a special surveillance operation was launched using the MNDF Coast Guard vessel Dharumavantha and drones operated by the MNDF Air Corps to monitor the southern Special Economic Zone.

The operation will cover an area extending 200 nautical miles from the southern baseline.

The ministry said government efforts over the past two years to strengthen the Maldives’ capacity to manage its maritime territory have led to the acquisition of sea and air assets and supporting facilities.

The statement added that, apart from the agreement on the determination of the tri-junction point in the Gulf of Mannar signed on 31 July 1976 with neighbouring states to the north, the Maldives has not entered into agreements limiting its maritime claims. It said the government maintains that the Maldives is entitled to a maritime area extending 200 nautical miles from its surrounding waters, as defined under the Marine Areas of Maldives Act.