Ministry of Defence (Maldives)

{{Short description|Government ministry of the Maldives}}

{{Infobox government agency

| name = Ministry of Defence

| native_name = ދިފާޢީ ވުޒާރާ

| native_name_a = Dhifaaiy Vuzaara

| seal = Emblem of Maldives.svg

| logo =

| formed = {{Start date|1932}}{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.mv/his.php?id=1|title=History|website=Ministry of Defence|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160909082451/http://www.defence.gov.mv/his.php?id=1 | archive-date = 9 September 2016}}

| jurisdiction = Government of the Maldives

| headquarters = Ministry of Defence

| employees =

| budget = $369K (MVR 5.7 Million) (2024){{cite web|url=https://budget.gov.mv/en/yearly-office-details/office-revenue/527|title=Budget 2024|publisher=Ministry of Finance (Maldives)}}

| minister1_name = Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon{{cite web |title=The President's Office - The Cabinet |url=https://presidency.gov.mv/Government/Cabinet/16 |website=The President's Office |access-date=21 February 2024}}

| deputyminister1_name = Fathimath Mizna Ali{{cite web |title=Deputy Ministers |url=https://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Government/Officials/141 |website=The President's Office |access-date=21 February 2024}}

| deputyminister1_pfo = Deputy Minister of Defence

| deputyminister2_name = Wais Waheed, MG (Retd)

| deputyminister2_pfo = Director General of National Counter Terrorism Centre

| deputyminister3_name =

| deputyminister3_pfo =

| chief1_name = Major Gen. Ibrahim Hilmy{{cite web|url=https://mndf.gov.mv/mndf/en/leader-ship.php?title=chief-of-defence-force|title=Chief of Defence Force|website=MNDF}}

| chief1_position = Chief of Defence Force

| chief2_name = Muaz Haleem{{cite web |title=State Ministers |url=https://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Government/Officials/17 |website=The President's Office |access-date=21 February 2024}}

| chief2_position = Minister of State for Defence

| chief3_name = Brig. Gen. Ahmed Ghiyas{{cite web|url=https://mndf.gov.mv/mndf/en/leader-ship.php?title=vice-chief-of-defence-force|title=Vice Chief of Defence Force|website=MNDF}}

| chief3_position = Vice Chief of Defence Force

| chief4_name = Command Sergeant Major Adnan Ali{{cite web|url=https://mndf.gov.mv/mndf/en/leader-ship.php?title=sergeant-major-of-mndf|title=Sergeant Major of MNDF|website=MNDF}}

| chief4_position = Sergeant Major of MNDF

| child1_agency = Anti-Trafficking in Persons

| child2_agency = Aviation Security Command

| child3_agency = National Disaster Management Authority

| child4_agency = Maldives Customs Service

| child5_agency = Maldives Immigration

| child6_agency = National Counter Terrorism Centre

| website = {{URL|https://www.gov.mv/en/organisations/ministry-of-defence|defence.gov.mv}}

| footnotes =

| embed =

}}

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.{{cite web |title=The Constitution of Maldives |url=http://agoffice.gov.mv/#/Media/Constitution%20of%20the%20Republic%20of%20Maldives |publisher=Attorney General's office, Maldives.}}

ސިފައިންގެ ޚިދުމަތުގެ މައިގަނޑު މަޤްޞަދަކީ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާއާއި، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ސަރަޙައްދާއި، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޚާއްޞަ އިޤްތިޞާދީ ސަރަޙައްދާއި، ރައްޔިތުން ރައްކާތެރިކޮށް ޙިމާޔަތް ކުރުމެވެ.{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.mv/his.php?id=2|title=Ministry of Defence|website=www.defence.gov.mv}}

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}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan=2| {{abbr|No.|Number}}

! rowspan=2| Portrait

! rowspan=2| Name
(Born-Died)

! colspan=3| Term

! rowspan=2| Political Party

! rowspan=2| Government

! rowspan=2| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

Took office

! Left office

! Time in office

style="text-align:center;"

! colspan=9| Minister of Defence and National Security

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = 1

| image = |bSize = 70

| officeholder = Ismail Shafeeu

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 September 2004{{cite web |url=http://rulers.org/2004-09.html |title=Rulers |website=Rulers.org |access-date=10 July 2021}}

| term_end = 12 November 2008

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2004|9|1|2008|11|12}}

| alt_party = ?

| cabinet = Maumoon

| ref = {{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=The Maldives Government |work= |url=http://www.maldives.at/president.html |url-status=dead |access-date=8 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912235032if_/http://www.maldives.at:80/president.html |archive-date=12 September 2019}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = 2

| image = |bSize = 70

| officeholder = Ameen Faisal

| born_year = 1963

| died_year =

| term_start = 12 November 2008

| term_end = 29 June 2010

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2008|11|12|2010|06|29}}

| alt_party = Maldivian Democratic Party

| cabinet = Nasheed

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = (2)

| image = |bSize = 70

| officeholder = Ameen Faisal

| born_year = 1963

| died_year =

| term_start = 7 July 2010

| term_end = 10 December 2010

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2010|07|07|2010|12|10}}

| alt_party = Maldivian Democratic Party

| cabinet = Nasheed

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = –

| image = |bSize = 70

| officeholder = Uz. Mohamed Muizzu Adnan

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = 10 December 2010

| term_end = 30 June 2011

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2010|12|10|2011|06|30}}

| acting = y

| alt_party = ?

| cabinet = Nasheed

| ref = –

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = 3

| image = |bSize = 70

| officeholder = Thalhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = 30 June 2011

| term_end = 7 February 2012

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2011|06|30|2012|02|07}}

| alt_party = ?

| cabinet = Nasheed

| ref = –

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = 4

| image = The Defence Minister of Maldives, Col. (Retd.) Mohd. Nazim calling on the Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony, in New Delhi on March 06, 2014 (cropped).jpg |bSize = 70

| military_rank = Colonel (Rtd.)

| officeholder = Mohamed Nazim

| born_year =

| died_year =

| term_start = 8 February 2012

| term_end = 20 January 2015

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2012|02|07|2015|01|20}}

| alt_party = ?

| cabinet = Waheed
Gayoom

| ref = –

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = 5

| image = Maj. Gen. Moosa Ali Jaleel.jpg |bSize = 70

| military_rank = Major General (Rtd.)

| officeholder = Moosa Ali Jaleel

| born_year = 1960

| died_year =

| term_start = 20 January 2015

| term_end = 14 October 2015

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2015|01|20|2015|10|14}}

| alt_party = ?

| cabinet = Gayoom

| ref = –

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = 6

| image = |bSize = 70

| officeholder = Adam Shareef

| born_year = 1960

| died_year =

| term_start = 28 October 2015

| term_end = 17 November 2018

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2015|10|28|2018|11|17}}

| alt_party = People's National Congress (Maldives)

| cabinet = Gayoom

| ref =

}}

style="text-align:center;"

! colspan=9| Minister of Defence

{{Officeholder table

| order2 = 7

| image = Mariya Ahmed Didi.jpg |bSize = 70

| officeholder = Mariya Ahmed Didi

| born_year = 1962

| died_year =

| term_start = 17 November 2018

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2018|11|17}}

| alt_party = Maldivian Democratic Party

| cabinet = Solih

| ref = {{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Solih's Cabinet |work= |url=https://presidency.gov.mv/Government/Cabinet/16 |url-status=dead |access-date=12 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112085245/https://presidency.gov.mv/Government/Cabinet/16 |archive-date=12 November 2023|website= The President's Office}}

|term_end=17 November 2023

}}

{{Officeholder table

|order2 = 8

|image = Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon portrait.jpg

|bSize = 70

|officeholder = Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon

|born_year = 1980

|term_start = 17 November 2023

|timeinoffice = {{ayd|2023|11|17}}

|alt_party = Progressive Party of Maldives

|cabinet = Muizzu

|ref =

}}

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

References