Joint Indo-Maldives military exercise begins today amid China FTA concerns

After the Maldives signed an FTA with China in a surprise move, New Delhi said it expected the Indian Ocean nation to be sensitive to its concerns

The two-week long eighth edition of the Indo-Maldives joint military exercise, 'Ekuverin', will be conducted from Friday at Belagavi, about 505 km from Bengaluru. 

The exercise comes on the heels of a free trade agreement (FTA) the Maldives signed with China recently. 

The bilateral annual exercise is a 14-day joint military training between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), which is held alternatively in India and Maldives since 2009.

'Ekuverin' means 'friends' in the Maldivian language. 

The seventh edition of the exercise was held at Kadhdhoo, Lammu Atoll, the Maldives in December 2016.

The focus of the exercise is to acquaint