Ministry of Defence (Maldives)

Ministry of Defence

ދިފާޢީ ވުޒާރާ Dhifaaiy Vuzaara
Agency overview
Formed	1932 (1932) [1]
Jurisdiction	Government of the Maldives
Headquarters	Ministry of Defence
Annual budget	$369K (MVR 5.7 Million) (2024) [2]
Minister responsible	Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon [3]
Deputy Ministers responsible	Fathimath Mizna Ali [4] , Deputy Minister of Defence Wais Waheed, MG (Retd) [4] , Director General of National Counter Terrorism Center
Agency executives	Major Gen. Ibrahim Hilmy [5] , Chief of Defence Force Muaz Haleem [6] , Minister of State for Defence Brig. Gen. Ahmed Ghiyas [7] , Vice Chief of Defence Force Command Sergeant Major Adnan Ali [8] , Sergeant Major of MNDF
Child agencies	Anti-Trafficking in Persons Aviation Security Command National Disaster Management Authority Maldives Customs Service Maldives Immigration National Counter Terrorism Centre
Website	defence.gov.mv

The Ministry of Defence is the Maldivian government agency responsible for protecting the independence and the integrity of the Maldivian citizenry.

The Maldivian Constitution says:

The primary object of the Military Service is to defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity, its Exclusive Economic Zone and the people. ^[9]

ސިފައިންގެ ޚިދުމަތުގެ މައިގަނޑު މަޤްޞަދަކީ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާއާއި، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ސަރަޙައްދާއި، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޚާއްޞަ އިޤްތިޞާދީ ސަރަޙައްދާއި، ރައްޔިތުން ރައްކާތެރިކޮށް ޙިމާޔަތް ކުރުމެވެ. ^[10]

Founding

Main article: Maldives National Defence Force

In 1932, Muhammad Fareed Didi established the Maldives - Ministry of Defence during his first imperial rule.

The origin of the current security force can be traced from the initiatives of Sultan Ibrahim Nooraddeen Iskandhar who reigned from 1888 to 1892. The Sultan was impressed by a group of young men practicing marching in step while they were at the Sultan's Palace to learn a traditional form of martial arts. The Sultan gave his blessings to their new drill and facilitated their training. The group of men thereafter began to accompany the Sultan on his ceremonial processions.

Ministers

Main article: Cabinet of the Maldives

No.	Portrait	Name (Born-Died)	Term			Political Party	Government	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Minister of Defence and National Security
1		Ismail Shafeeu	1 September 2004 [11]	12 November 2008	4 years, 72 days	?	Maumoon	[12]
2		Ameen Faisal (born 1963)	12 November 2008	29 June 2010	1 year, 229 days	MDP	Nasheed	[12]
(2)		Ameen Faisal (born 1963)	7 July 2010	10 December 2010	156 days	MDP	Nasheed	[12]
–		Uz. Mohamed Muizzu Adnan Acting	10 December 2010	30 June 2011	202 days	?	Nasheed	–
3		Thalhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu	30 June 2011	7 February 2012	222 days	?	Nasheed	–
4		Colonel (Rtd.) Mohamed Nazim	8 February 2012	20 January 2015	2 years, 347 days	?	Waheed Gayoom	–
5		Major General (Rtd.) Moosa Ali Jaleel (born 1960)	20 January 2015	14 October 2015	267 days	?	Gayoom	–
6		Adam Shareef (born 1960)	28 October 2015	17 November 2018	3 years, 20 days	PNC	Gayoom	[12]
Minister of Defence
7		Mariya Ahmed Didi (born 1962)	17 November 2018	17 November 2023	6 years, 114 days	MDP	Solih	[13]
8		Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon (born 1980)	17 November 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 114 days	PPM	Muizzu	[3]

Agencies

Maldives Customs Service

Maldives Customs Service (MSC) was established as a separate legal entity independent of the civil service under the Maldives Customs Act, which was confirmed on 11 May 2011. The main responsibility of the organization is to carry out all necessary activities related to customs in relation to the import and export of goods from Maldives and maintain all related accounts.

See also

• Cabinet of the Maldives
• Maldives National Defence Force
• Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology
• MNDF Coast Guard
• MNDF Marine Corps
• MNDF Special Forces

References

1. "History". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 9 September 2016.
2. "Budget 2024". Ministry of Finance (Maldives).
3. "The President's Office - The Cabinet". The President's Office. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
4. "Deputy Ministers". The President's Office. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
5. "Chief of Defence Force". MNDF .
6. "State Ministers". The President's Office. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
7. "Vice Chief of Defence Force". MNDF .
8. "Sergeant Major of MNDF". MNDF.
9. "The Constitution of Maldives". Attorney General's office, Maldives.
10. "Ministry of Defence". www.defence.gov.mv.
11. "Rulers". Rulers.org. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
12. "The Maldives Government". Archived from the original on 12 September 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
13. "Solih's Cabinet". The President's Office. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.