India Celebrates ITEC Day in Maldives, Highlighting Training Achievements

India's ITEC Day has been celebrated in the Maldives, marking the 62nd anniversary of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. A special ceremony was held by the High Commission of India, attended by Dr. Ismail Shafeeu, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development, along with senior officials from the ministry and the Deputy High Commissioner of India. Over the past decade, thousands of Maldivians have received training through ITEC programmes, with a focus on sectors such as management, technology, renewable energy, and media. Since 2019, 1,269 employees of the Civil Service Commission have received good governance-related training, while 360 officers of the Maldives Customs Service have been trained in general customs and emerging areas since the same year. Since 2020, 323 judges and legal sector employees have completed training under the National Judicial Academy of India's programmes. Under an agreement with the Local Government Authority, 334 local government delegates have been trained since 2022. Additionally, since 2014, 1,948 Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers have received training under the capacity building programme. The ITEC programme, established in 1964, is recognized internationally and has trained over 200,000 technical personnel from more than 160 countries. It offers around 400 different courses across over 100 institutions in India, providing approximately 10,000 training opportunities annually in fields including artificial intelligence, digital governance, health, and security.