Friday
26th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
INS Darshak. Photo: Indian Navy
An Indian Navy survey ship will be arriving in the Maldives tomorrow to conduct a hydrographic survey in Maldivian waters, the Maldivian National Defence Force has announced.
The MNDF has said that the INS Darshak will arrive in the Maldives tomorrow and that their survey work has been scheduled to be undertaken from January 31 to March 15 of this year.
The survey is set to focus on the northern atolls of the Maldives.
Translation: "The Indian Navy survey ship, INS Darshak, is set to arrive in the Maldives tomorrow to conduct a hydrographic survey in the Maldives. The survey has been set to be performed in the northern atolls from January 31 to March 15"
The Indian and Maldivian governments agreed upon letting the Indian Navy conduct the hydrographic survey in June 2019, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the Maldives. The Indian government had unsuccessfully tried to come to such an agreement with the previous government.
A hydrographic survey will entail a mapping of Maldivian waters, and will use sonar technology to collect data of the seabed within Maldivian borders.
While there are several types of hydrographic survey, it is yet unclear what kind of survey would specifically be conducted in the Maldives.
In 2015, the INS Darshak performed a hydrographic survey in the Seychelles for a period of 1 month. A year later, it performed a hydrographic survey in Tanzania to prepare for an oil pipeline that was being laid from Uganda. More recently, in 2017, the INS Darshak had been deployed to perform a hydrographic survey trip jointly with the Sri Lankan Army.
Permitting the Indian government to conduct such a detailed survey of Maldivian territory grants them special access to information which may considered strategically sensitive and would, in other circumstances, be classified.
The government has not disclosed any information about the survey to date. It is also unclear what role the MNDF will play, if any, in collaboration with the Indian Navy for the survey.
Dhiyares newspaper had petitioned the Ministry of Defence to disclose more information about the agreement that pertains to hydrographic survey. The Ministry of Defence has, however, adamantly refused to disclose any information.
A hydrographic survey will entail a mapping of Maldivian waters, and will use sonar technology to collect data of the seabed within Maldivian borders.
While there are several types of hydrographic survey, it is yet unclear what kind of survey would specifically be conducted in the Maldives.
In 2015, the INS Darshak performed a hydrographic survey in the Seychelles for a period of 1 month. A year later, it performed a hydrographic survey in Tanzania to prepare for an oil pipeline that was being laid from Uganda. More recently, in 2017, the INS Darshak had been deployed to perform a hydrographic survey trip jointly with the Sri Lankan Army.
Permitting the Indian government to conduct such a detailed survey of Maldivian territory grants them special access to information which may considered strategically sensitive and would, in other circumstances, be classified.
The government has not disclosed any information about the survey to date. It is also unclear what role the MNDF will play, if any, in collaboration with the Indian Navy for the survey.
Dhiyares newspaper had petitioned the Ministry of Defence to disclose more information about the agreement that pertains to hydrographic survey. The Ministry of Defence has, however, adamantly refused to disclose any information.