Prime Minister Modi's Lakshadweep visit exposes tension in India-Maldives ties

A series of posts on X from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, promoting tourism in Lakshadweep islands, triggered a social media war among Maldivian politicians, government officials and Indian social media users.

During his visit to the Union Territory, PM Modi had said “For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list.” There were no references to the Maldives or any other island nation popular with tourists. However, this post evoked strong reactions online. Some prominent Maldivian social media users reacted to the post with offensive and derogatory comments.

For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list.

During my stay, I also tried snorkelling - what an exhilarating experience it was! pic.twitter.com/rikUTGlFN7 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2024

Among them were Maldivian ministers Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid. After PM Modi posted, Mariyam Shiuna, deputy minister of youth empowerment, information and arts of Maldives, wrote, “What a clown. The puppet of Israel Mr. Narendra diver with a life jacket. #VisitMaldives #SunnySideOfLife.” She also compared India to cow dung in a post, which has since been deleted. Malsha Sharif, part of the Maldives’ Ministry of Youth Empowerment, information and arts, also posted disparaging comments against India.

Also read: Tour operators expect disruptions in Maldives travel plans amid cancellation calls

According to a report by Indian Express, amid the Centre’s attempts at promoting tourism in Lakshadweep, Maldivian officials and supporters of the new ruling coalition of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) pushed a #VisitMaldives hashtag featuring photos of holiday resorts, beaches and hotels in the country.

The island is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and occupies a special place in its initiatives such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the Neighbourhood First Policy of the Narendra Modi regime.

In 2023, Indians made up the largest number of tourists visiting the Maldives. India is also a strategic ally, with military personnel and helicopters stationed on the islands. However, the dynamics have changed since Muizzu was elected in November.

The Maldives has a history of oscillating between alliances with India and China. After taking over as president last year, Muizzu promised to remove Indian soldiers and alter Maldives's India-first policy. Last year, the Maldivian government also announced its intention to terminate a hydrography agreement signed with India in 2019.

According to reports, the Muizzu government is also said to be keen on developing closer ties with China. Muizzu, accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a delegation of senior government officials, embarked on an official visit to China on January 7.

The Chinese state media outlet Global Times also reported on the current spat between India and the Maldives. It said, “It only demonstrates that Muizzu is treating India with a normal mindset and steering the relationship between the Maldives and India to a normal state-state relationship.”

In 2020, the “India Out” campaign was launched in Maldives. It later spread widely across social media platforms using the phrase with a related hashtag. By the second half of 2021, it had developed into an active campaign, as a reaction against the Solih government. Mohamed Solih served as the president of the Maldives between 2018 and 2023. Former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom had also openly advocated for and promoted the campaign. The Muizzu government, however, claimed that the campaign was to protest the presence of the Indian military.