Maldives National Defence Force
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The Maldives National Defence Force (formerly National Security Service), armed forces of Maldives was founded in 1978 after President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom came to power. Its predecessor, the National Security Guard functioned as the State's only armed service during the rule of the country's second president, Ibrahim Nasir. The NSS retained most of its functions up until recent times when a separate police force was established to differentiate the military duties from domestic law enforcement duties.
With the lack of security problems in the country for decades, a strong military establishment was not needed, therefore the NSS continued to function as a paramilitary organization. It performs army and maritime duties as well as intelligence gathering. The NSS was a very small force numbering some 1000 personnel during the 1980s. However, after the attempted foreign coup of 1988, the NSS was expanded and strengthened with the help of friendly countries such as India, the U.S. and the UK. In 2001 the NSS had some 3500 personnel in its ranks as well as light armour and naval defence capabilities.
On 21 April 2006, during the ceremony of its 114th anniversary the NSS was reorganized as the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Although the latter organization inherited all the functions of the NSS, it is evident that the redefinition of the State's paramilitary force, as a contemporary self-defence service is in line with the ever changing security landscape of country, especially after the separation of the police as an internal law enforcement agency in 2004.
The Indian government donated at least a dozen armoured vehicles to help with the expansion of the MNDF including Russian made BRDM-2 Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles, Alvis Saladin Scout Cars and Ferret Armoured Cars during the past 15 years. The NSS also acquired at least three Cobra Light Armoured Vehicles from Turkey and two Coastal Surveillance Vessels (CSV) from Colombo Dockyard Limited in Sri Lanka[1], these vessels were commissioned as Ghazee and Iskandar. In April 2006 the Coast Guard section of the MNDF received the Trinkat Class Fast Attack Craft INS Tillanchang from the Indian Navy, the second ship of its class which was recommissioned as Huravee in the Maldives. The Seychelles also received a Trinkat Class patrol craft last year as part of the Indian government's doctrine towards the Indian Ocean Region. In addition the MNDF Coast Guard is currently having two additional patrol vessels under construction at the Colombo Dockyard, Sri Lanka. The first vessel is of 35m in length while the second one is 40m, these are intended to provide greater patrol endurance in the EEZ area. The 35m craft's construction started in May 2006.
MNDF is further divided into sections rather than regular military formations, the MNDF being a paramilitary force. Although it has the equivalent personnel of a full brigade or four infantry battalions, the operational capabilities and the fusion of support troops to that of combat troops makes this impossible to achieve. The ranking system of the MNDF is based on the traditional British military system, though with minor modifications. The highest flag rank ever awarded was that of Lieutenant General, in a non-military capacity to the previous Defence Minister Abdul Sattar. Currently, the MNDF Chief of Staff Major General Mohamed Zahir is responsible for the organizational duties of the military.
The structure of the MNDF which has undergone re-structuring is now organised into five services as listed:
- Maldivian Coast Guard
- Infantry
- Fire and Rescue
- Defence Institute for Training & Education (DITE)
- Support Services.
Flag officers:
- Maj. Gen. Mohamed Zahir
- Brig. Moosa Ali Jaleel
- Brig. Ahmed Naeem Mohamed
The CIA World Factbook states that the Maldives spends approximately $45,070,000 for military purposes or 5.5% of the GDP which is considered extremely high for a small country [2]. In 2003, at least two prisoners died and a number of inmates were injured with gunshot wounds during the Maafushi Prison Uprisings, which led to a revolt against the Government. A subsequent investigation ordered by Gayoom resulted in the arrest of a number of MNDF personnel directly responsible for the incident.
