Four Coast Guard squadrons are deployed in the southern, central, and northern regions of Maldives, and a Strategic Reserve has been established at the capital, Male'.

The roots of the MNDF Coast Guard lie in the 1570s Kalhuoffummi, as its insignia symbolizes, the legendary sailing boat used by the heroic Mohamed Thakurufaanu and his allies in his guerrilla battle to free the country from the invasion of the Portuguese.

The Coast Guard was established as a separate wing of the defence forces on 1 January 1980 with the late Colonel Hussain Fulhu as its first Commanding Officer.

It reaches out to people and save their lives by intensely conducting well planned and executed Search and Rescue (SAR) operations at sea and assume other humanitarian roles in crises when the public is in need.

[2] Whilst most other military services of the MNDF are either at standby or training for the unseen hostile actions, the Coast Guard is deployed every day.

With decentralized Coast Guard squadrons placed at Area Commands in North, Central and South of Maldives and a strategic reserve at the capital Male' under the new Strategic Defence Directive, and much responsibility placed on even the most junior sailors, the Coast Guard is frequently lauded for its quick responsiveness and adaptability in a broad range of tasks and emergencies.

The Indian Navy donated a Trinkat class patrol vessel of 46 metres length in April 2006, commissioned as CGS Huravee and is commanded by Lieutenant Mohamed Jamshad.

The Maldives Coast Guard has acquired two additional large offshore patrol craft, constructed at the Colombo Dockyard, Sri Lanka.