Maldives minister accuses India of targeting tourism, triggering row
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New Delhi: A Maldives minister has accused India of targeting the country’s tourism after PM Modi’s post on X about snorkeling in India’s Lakshadweep went viral.
PM Modi’ recent visit to the Union Territory was seen as an attempt to promote tourism in the area comprising 36 island in 32 sqkm, NDTV reported.
The minister said India faces significant challenge from the Maldives in beach tourism.
However, many on social media termed the Union Territory as an alternate tourist destination to the Maldives.
India-Maldives relations have taken a nosedive after President Mohamed Muizzu came to power in November 2023.
During campaign, Muizzu promised to remove the 75 Indian military personnel from his island nation alongside changing its "India first" policy.
Muizzu, known as a pro-China politician, will visit China on Monday following an invitation from Chinese Xi Jinping, according to Chinese foreign ministry.
The eighth President of the Maldives took over the country defeating his India-friendly predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
‘China and the Maldives boast time-honoured friendship. In the past 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have treated each other with respect and supported each other, setting a fine example of equality and mutual benefits between countries of different sizes,’ Wang Wenbin, another spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, was quoted as saying.
China has begun expanding its influence in the Island nation involving in the massive infrastructural development.
When they meet in Dubai during the COP28 climate talks, the new Maldives President had met PM Modi reportedly agreed to form a core group to discuss the multidimensional relations and further deepen ties.
Ahead of this meeting Muizzu asked India to withdraw the Indian military personnel from the Island and chose to review his country’s more than 100 bilateral agreements with India.