| Ministry of Defence | |
| Native Name: | ދިފާޢީ ވުޒާރާ |
| Native Name A: | Dhifaaiy Vuzaara |
| Seal: | Emblem of Maldives.svg |
| Formed: | [1] |
| Jurisdiction: | Government of the Maldives |
| Headquarters: | Ministry of Defence |
| Budget: | $369K (MVR 5.7 Million) (2024)[2] |
| Minister1 Name: | Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon[3] |
| Deputyminister1 Name: | Fathimath Mizna Ali[4] |
| Deputyminister1 Pfo: | Deputy Minister of Defence |
| Deputyminister2 Name: | Wais Waheed, MG (Retd) |
| Deputyminister2 Pfo: | Director General of National Counter Terrorism Center |
| Chief1 Name: | Major Gen. Ibrahim Hilmy[5] |
| Chief1 Position: | Chief of Defence Force |
| Chief2 Name: | Muaz Haleem[6] |
| Chief2 Position: | Minister of State for Defence |
| Chief3 Name: | Brig. Gen. Ahmed Ghiyas[7] |
| Chief3 Position: | Vice Chief of Defence Force |
| Chief4 Name: | Command Sergeant Major Adnan Ali[8] |
| 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 |
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.[9]
ސިފައިންގެ ޚިދުމަތުގެ މައިގަނޑު މަޤްޞަދަކީ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާއާއި، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ސަރަޙައްދާއި، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޚާއްޞަ އިޤްތިޞާދީ ސަރަޙައްދާއި، ރައްޔިތުން ރައްކާތެރިކޮށް ޙިމާޔަތް ކުރުމެވެ.[10]
See main article: article and 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.
See main article: article and Cabinet of the Maldives.
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.
The initial language of this article was Dhivehi.