A navy vessel donated by Australia to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) arrived in the country today.

The vessel travelled from Perth and arrived at Hulhumale; Harbour, where it was officially welcomed by Chief of Defence Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy and Australian High Commissioner to the Maldives, David Jessup.

According to MNDF, the vessel was built by Austal Limited at its Henderson shipyard and was gifted as part of defence cooperation between the Maldives and Australia.

The donation comes as the government seeks to strengthen the operational capacity of the Coast Guard and enhance the country's ability to monitor and protect its vast maritime territory.

MNDF said Coast Guard personnel completed specialized training to operate the vessel prior to its delivery to the Maldives.

The vessel is expected to enter service next month.

According to the MNDF, the vessel will strengthen the Maldives' maritime surveillance capabilities, support efforts to combat illegal activities at sea and improve search-and-rescue operations during maritime emergencies.

The defence force also said the vessel would contribute to regional security and stability by enhancing the Maldives' capacity to monitor and manage its waters.

Senior MNDF officers, Coast Guard personnel, sailors and family members of the crew attended the welcoming ceremony held at Hulhumalé Harbour this morning.