Maldivian parliamentary officials and police officers have commenced specialised training programmes in India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) initiative, as capacity-building cooperation between the two countries continues to expand.
A delegation of officers from the People's Majlis is currently participating in the 37th International Training Programme in Legislative Drafting, being conducted from March 25 to April 22, 2026 by Lok Sabha Secretariat’s PRIDE institute in India.
In parallel, a second group of 15 officers from the Maldives Police Service attended a specialised course on modern psychological methods of investigation held from March 23 to 25 at the National Forensic Sciences University in New Delhi.
The programmes are facilitated under ITEC, a flagship capacity-building platform of the Government of India, aimed at strengthening institutional expertise and professional skills among partner countries, including the Maldives.
Expanding training cooperation
India has remained one of the Maldives’ key partners in human resource development, offering training across a wide range of sectors including governance, policing, healthcare, education, information technology, and cultural industries.
Over the past three years, India has significantly scaled up training opportunities for Maldivians:
- 2023–2024: Over 1,500 Maldivians benefited from Indian-funded training programmes, including civil servants, technical professionals, and students under ITEC and scholarship schemes.
- 2024–2025: Training slots increased further, with an estimated 1,800+ participants attending programmes in areas such as public administration, digital governance, policing, and maritime security.
- 2025–2026 (ongoing): More than 1,000 Maldivians have already participated or are scheduled to attend short- and long-term courses, reflecting sustained demand and expanded cooperation.
Cumulatively, over 4,000 Maldivians have received training in India over the past three years alone, according to official and diplomatic estimates.
Broad-based sectoral support
Training initiatives under ITEC and related Indian programmes cover a wide spectrum of sectors:
- Governance & legislation: Parliamentary procedures, legislative drafting, public policy
- Security & policing: Forensics, cybercrime, investigative techniques
- Healthcare & education: Medical training, academic scholarships
- Technology & digitalisation: IT, e-governance, emerging technologies
- Arts & culture: Opportunities for Maldivian artists and cultural practitioners to train at leading Indian institutions
Recent engagements have also highlighted opportunities for Maldivian artists and cultural enthusiasts to access training at India’s premier cultural institutions, further strengthening people-to-people ties through creative exchange.
Strengthening bilateral ties
The latest batch of training programmes underscores the growing depth of Maldives–India cooperation, particularly in capacity building and knowledge exchange.
Such initiatives continue to play a key role in enhancing institutional capabilities in the Maldives while reinforcing long-standing bilateral ties rooted in education, skills development, and people-to-people connectivity. (Source: news sydicate and @HCIMaldives X)
