Male, Nov 3 (PTI) Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on Sunday expressed gratitude to India for rescuing his country from a 'mercenary' attempt to overthrow former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 1998, according to a media report.

In a message on the 31st anniversary of the Victory Day, Shahid expressed said, "It is a day to value true friends and partnerships."

On the intervening night of November 2-3, 1988, around 300 to 500 armed Tamil/Sinhala-speaking mercenaries captured key locations in Male.

The coup attempt failed due to the intervention of the Indian Army, whose military efforts were code-named Operation Cactus.

"The invaluable military support of the Indian Government on 3rd November 1988 remains etched in our hearts. Our highest gratitude and deepest appreciation shall never diminish,” Maldives Independent quoted Shahid as saying.

"That fateful day showcased the special security threats and vulnerabilities faced by small states. That realisation made Maldives take up the issue at the United Nations – resulting in multiple resolutions on the security of small states and their vulnerability to external threats," he said.

"The Maldives efforts helped change the discourse on how small states are viewed and discussed in the international security debate,” he added. PTI

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