President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), has officially commissioned CGS Imaduddin, a Guardian-class patrol vessel donated by the Australian Government to strengthen the Maldives’ maritime security capabilities.
The commissioning ceremony was held on Tuesday evening at the Hulhumalé International Terminal, where the President was welcomed by Minister of Defence Hassan Rasheed and Chief of Defence Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy.
The event began with the recitation of the Holy Quran and the national anthem before President Muizzu unveiled the vessel’s name plaque. During the ceremony, Major General Hilmy formally presented the commissioning warrant to the vessel’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Mohamed Saleem, marking the ship’s entry into active service with the MNDF Coast Guard.
Addressing those in attendance, Defence Minister Hassan Rasheed described the commissioning as a significant step in enhancing the Maldives’ ability to safeguard its territorial waters and respond to a wide range of maritime challenges.
He said the addition of CGS Imaduddin would strengthen the operational capacity of the Coast Guard, enabling it to carry out maritime surveillance, law enforcement, search and rescue missions, and emergency response more effectively.
The minister also thanked the Australian Government for its continued support to the Maldives, noting that bilateral defence cooperation has expanded over the years through training programmes, technical assistance, capacity building and the provision of strategic assets.
As part of the ceremony, President Muizzu presented commemorative plaques to Australian High Commissioner David Jessup, representing the Australian Government, and to Lieutenant Commander Mohamed Saleem in recognition of the vessel’s commissioning.
Following the presentation, the President boarded CGS Imaduddin to inspect the patrol vessel before concluding the ceremony.
CGS Imaduddin was donated under Australia’s Defence Cooperation Programme, through which Canberra has provided Guardian-class patrol vessels to several Pacific and Indian Ocean nations to strengthen maritime security and regional cooperation.
According to the government, the vessel will support a range of operations, including maritime surveillance, fisheries protection, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, search and rescue missions, and the protection of the Maldives’ extensive Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The commissioning of the vessel marks another milestone in the longstanding defence partnership between the Maldives and Australia, which established diplomatic relations in 1974 and have continued to deepen cooperation in maritime security and regional stability.
