Relations between India and the Maldives are at risk of being strained again, after ministers in Male used derogatory language towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the latter’s visit to Lakshadweep. While political rifts appeared when Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, widely considered a pro-China leader, was appointed in November, the island country is also expected to suffer a serious setback in its tourism sector due to boycott calls from Indians.
The diplomatic uproar started when some Maldives ministers used derogatory and disrespectful language against the Indian PM. Mariyam Shiuna, Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts, while commenting on the photos of PM Modi, dubbed him as a ‘clown’ and a ‘puppet of Israel’. Some ministers even commented that Indian beaches could not meet the cleanliness levels of Maldives tourist places. The Muizzu administration distanced itself from the remarks and suspended three ministers.
The controversial remarks set off a major row on social media platforms, as thousands of Indians cancelled their bookings and flight tickets to Maldives. High-profile celebrities also took to social media to condemn the remarks made against PM Modi. EaseMyTrip co-founder and CEO Nishant Patti also announced the suspension of all Maldives flight bookings. The hashtag #BoycottMaldives gained traction on social media as Indian tourists started cancelling their scheduled vacations to the island nation.
Will these boycotts impact the Maldives? All signs lead to a resounding yes, as the country is dependent on India for a lot of things, particularly tourism. Notably, until Covid-19, the Chinese accounted for most tourists football in the island nation but following the pandemic, Beijing’s crawling economy did not maintain the same trend. The number one spot was replaced by India and since then maintained the tourist flow. The tourism sector is very crucial for the Maldivian economy, which contributes to one-third of the GDP.
Relations between India and Maldives strained after Muizzu came to power in November, when he called for the expulsion of Indian security personnel, ordered the review of over 100 agreements with India, and dropped a joint hydrographic survey agreement. Amid ongoing diplomatic tensions with India, Muizzu met his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing on January 10. The two countries signed 20 key agreements and elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
The remarks towards India and Prime Minister Modi are uncalled for, given the fact that the Prime Minister’s visit to Lakshadweep had no mention of the Maldives. In this regard, if the boycotts come into effect, the move would deal a tremendous blow to Maldives’s sprawling tourism sector and the economy itself. Maldives is also dependent on India in other areas as well. India’s relations with the Maldives go back much earlier than China’s, which is considered a fairly recent player. Moreover, India’s assistance and platforms have contributed significantly to the island nation.
