The Maldives and Australia have agreed to work towards establishing a formal bilateral partnership, marking a significant step in efforts to deepen cooperation across defence, security, trade and climate issues following high-level talks in Male' City.
The commitment was made during the Third Maldives–Australia Senior Officials' Talks , co-chaired by Maldives Foreign Secretary Fathimath Inaya and Australia's First Assistant Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Sarah Storey. Senior officials from both governments took part in discussions covering a broad range of bilateral and regional priorities.
Officials said the decision reflected the positive momentum in relations over the past year, pointing to Australia's recent gift of a Guardian-class patrol boat, commissioned as CGS Imaduddin, and the launch of direct flights between Male' and Melbourne in May.
Defence and maritime cooperation featured prominently during the talks, with both sides discussing closer collaboration on maritime domain awareness, aviation and port security, cybersecurity, countering violent extremism and law enforcement. The Maldives also welcomed Australia's continued support in strengthening the country's maritime capabilities to enhance security and resilience in the Indian Ocean.
Economic ties were another key focus, with officials exploring ways to boost bilateral trade, investment, tourism and fiscal resilience. Both governments said the new direct air link between Malé and Melbourne would create greater opportunities for tourism, business and people-to-people exchanges.
The talks also covered future cooperation in education, vocational and teacher training, governance, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, environmental protection, climate resilience, emergency response, healthcare, medicines regulation and women's empowerment. Maldivian officials expressed appreciation for Australia's continued support through the Australia Awards Scholarships and other capacity-building programmes.
Regional and international issues were also discussed, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean and the wider Indo-Pacific. They also pledged to strengthen cooperation in multilateral forums, particularly on climate change, sustainable development and issues affecting Small Island Developing States.
Both governments described the talks as productive and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through practical cooperation, regular dialogue and joint action on areas of shared interest.