Maldives National Defence Force

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF; Dhivehi: ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޤައުމީ ދިފާއީ ބާރު, romanized: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Qaumee Dhifaaee Baaru) is the national military responsible for defending the security and sovereignty of the Maldives. It is primarily responsible per the constitution to defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity, its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the people.^[3] Its branches include the Maldivian Coast Guard, the MNDF Marine Corps, and MNDF Air Corps.

Maldives National Defence Force
ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޤައުމީ ދިފާއީ ބާރު (Dhivehi)
Emblem
Flag
Motto	Defending & safeguarding the Maldivian state, territory, exclusive economic zone & the people, with pride, sense of responsibility & professionalism
Founded	21 April 1892; 133 years ago (1892-04-21)[1]
Service branches	MNDF Coast Guard MNDF Marine Corps MNDF Air Corps Fire and Rescue Service
Headquarters	Bandaara Koshi, Malé
Website	mndf.gov.mv
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Mohamed Muizzu
Minister of Defence	Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon
Chief of Defence Force	Major General Ibrahim Hilmy
Personnel
Military age	18–24[a]
Conscription	None
Active personnel	9900+
Reserve personnel	7800+
Deployed personnel	2500+
Expenditure
Budget	$138.8 million | MVR 2.14 billion (2025)[2]
Industry
Foreign suppliers	India China Sri Lanka Turkey United States Germany Japan Saudi Arabia Malaysia Russia Iran Canada United Arab Emirates France United Kingdom European Union
Related articles
Ranks	Military ranks of Maldives

Organizational structure

Combat and maneuver forces

Coast Guard

Main article: Maldivian Coast Guard

Marine Corps

Main article: MNDF Marine Corps

Air Corps

Main article: MNDF Air Corps

Equipment

Small Arms

• Browning Hi-Power
• M1911 pistol
• MP5
• AK-47
• AK-103
• M16A1/M16A2
• FN FAL
• M24 sniper weapon system
• FN MAG
• PK machine gun
• PKP machine gun
• M2 Browning
• RPG-7
• Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle

Others

Apart from the combat and maneuver forces, the MNDF also consists of:^[4]

• Support services
  • Service corps
  • Defence intelligence service
  • Medical corps
  • Adjutant general's corps
• Functional commands
  • Special Forces
  • Special protection service
  • Ordnance service
  • MNDF Marine Corps Special Operations Group
  • MNDF Coast Guard Special Boat Squadron

Rank structure

Main article: Military ranks of Maldives

The ranking system of the MNDF is based on the traditional British military system and U.S. military system. The highest flag rank ever awarded was that of lieutenant general, in a non-military capacity to the previous Defence Minister Abdul Sattar, although the president being the commander in chief also holds the rank of general in a non-military capacity.^[5]

Serving general officers

• Major General Ibrahim Hilmy - Chief of Defence Force^[6]
• Brigadier General Ahmed Ghiyas Vice Chief of Defence Force^[7]
• Brigadier General Ismail Shareef - Commander, MNDF Northern Area Command
• Brigadier General Abdulla Zuhury - Commandant, MNDF Fire and Rescue Service
• Brigadier General Dr. Ali Shahid Mohamed - Surgeon General, MNDF Medical Corps
• Brigadier General Abdul Rauf - Commandant, MNDF Air Corps
• Brigadier General Ibrahim Rasheed - Commander, MNDF Male' Area Command
• Brigadier General Mohamed Ibrahim - Defence Advisor, High Commission of Maldives - India
• Brigadier General Abdulla Ibrahim - Adjutant General
• Brigadier General Hassan Shahid - Director General, J3 IHQ
• Brigadier General Mohamed Saleem - Commandant, Coast Guard
• Brigadier General Hussain Ibrahim - Director General, DIDC

Retired general officers

• Lieutenant General Ambaree Abdul Sattar ¹ (Deputy Commander in Chief of Armed Forces from 21 April 1992 – 1 January 1996)
• Major General Mohamed Zahir (Chief of Defence Force from 1 January 1996 – 18 Nov 2008)
• Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel ⁵ (Chief of Defence Force from 18 Nov 2008 – 7 February 2012 )
• Major General Adam Zahir (Commissioner of Police) ²
• Major General Ahmed Shiyam (Former Chief of Defence Force)
• Brigadier General Ahmed Shahid (Former Vice Chief of Defence Force)
• Brigadier General Farhath Shaheer (Former Vice Chief of Defence Force)
• Brigadier General Ahmed Shahid (Former Vice Chief of Defence Force)
• Brigadier General Ahmed Naeem Mohamed
• Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor - Director General of Counter-Terrorism, Ministry of Defence
• Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi
• Brigadier General Ahmed Mohamed (former Vice Chief of Defence Force )
• Brigadier General Ali Zuhair (former commander of Coast Guard)
• Lieutenant General Abdulla Shamaal ( Former Chief of Defence Force)
• Major General Hamid Shafeeq

(Former Commandant, MNDF Service Corps)

• Major General Wais Waheed

(Former Commandant, MNDF Marine Corps)

• Lieutenant General Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef (Former Chief of Defence Force)
• Brigadier General Mohamed Shareef (Former Commandant of MNDF fire and rescue)

Dismissed general officers

• Colonel Ahmed Nilam⁴

Notes

• ¹ Ambaree Abdul Sattar is the first person to have held lieutenant general rank and also served as the Minister of State for Defence.
• ² Adam Zahir held the rank of major General from 29 April 2004 to 1 September 2004 prior to the appointment as Commissioner at Maldives Police Service.
• ⁴ Colonel Ahmed Nilam held the rank of brigadier general before he was demoted and dismissed from the service. He was dismissed for failing to act according to the responsibilities, conduct and rules of MNDF.
• ⁵ Moosa Ali Jaleel is the only person who have served as both the Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence Force.
• ⁶ Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef held the CDF post for the shortest tenure (From 17 November 2023 - 17 April 2024) due to compulsory retirement upon reaching 60 years of age as per MNDF Act. He previously served as the Vice Chief of Defence Force from 11 December 2018 to 17 November 2023

See also

• MNDF Coast Guard
• MNDF Marine Corps
• MNDF Special Forces
• Maldives Police Service
• MNDF Air Corps