The Maldives government and Japan signed an agreement under which the Indian Ocean archipelago would receive a $7.6 million grant to enhance the capability of the Maldives Coast Guard, Sun reported. 

Maldives’ Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid and Japanese ambassador  Kaiko Yanai signed the agreement on Sunday. The aid would help increase the capacity of the Maldives in maritime security and rescue operations in the region, said Shahid. 

The aid will also allow the adaption of advanced communication technologies in Maldives Coast Guard thus increasing its effectiveness in rescue and diving operations. 

During the ceremony, Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid hailed the importance of the cooperation between the two nations and said it will help the country to fight the challenges like drug abuse, radicalization, and the security of the Indian Ocean. 

Japan had also helped the Maldives earlier in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by granting $1.4 million and 21 ambulances. 

The agreement is the second such big deal for the Maldives that happened with any Quad nations in the last two months. Traditionally the areas had been looked at as the backyard of the Indian domain and influence. But in recent days, Japan and the US has been seen increasing their bilateral engagement with the archipelago in the maritime domain.   

For the Maldives, the diversification of its dependency for maritime security apart from India would also help to pacify its domestic political sentiments that have seen some anti-Indian tendencies in recent times.