Last week, a significant controversy arose when the Maldives deputy minister, alongside other cabinet members and government officials, made derogatory remarks about PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep. On January 2, PM Modi visited the Union Territory of Lakshadweep and posted several images, including one of him enjoying snorkeling, describing it as an 'exhilarating experience'. Through a series of social media posts on X platform, PM Modi showcased the picturesque white beaches, clear blue skies, and the ocean.
In a post that has now been deleted,the Maldivian Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Shiuna, contained mocking and disrespectful references to PM Modi. The Maldives government has disassociated itself from these remarks by its ministers. Moosa Zameer, Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs, denounced such comments against foreign leaders as "unacceptable," emphasising that they do not represent the official stance of the Maldives government.
Maldives MP Ali Azim has called for Mohamed Muizzu to be sacked as President as the row over comments critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi grows. A second MP, Meekail Naseem, has asked Parliament to question Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer.
The former Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih stated that New Delhi has always been a good friend to the island nation. Taking to his official handle on X, Solih posted, "I condemn the use of hateful language against India by Maldivian government officials on social media." He stressed that "India has always been a good friend to the Maldives and we must not allow such callous remarks to negatively impact the age-old friendship between our two countries." Former Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid said the objectionable remarks against the former and fellow Indian natives on social media are 'reprehensible' and 'odious'. The government of the Maldives also suspended three deputy ministers in the youth ministry, Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid for derogatory social media posts against Modi.
A segment of India's film industry stood in solidarity with PM Modi, strongly condemning the disrespectful remarks made by Maldivian leaders toward India and its leader. They also expressed support for PM Modi's initiative to promote beach tourism in Lakshadweep. According to a report by MakeMyTrip, searches for Lakshadweep on the platform surged by 3,400% following the PM's visit. Many individuals began comparing the Indian island to globally renowned beach destinations like Maldives and Seychelles. Even the Embassy of Israel has stepped into the case and shared photographs of Lakshadweep on social media.
Emmy-winning comedian Vir Das recently mocked social media users for sharing stock photos of Indian tourist spots to promote domestic tourism. The diplomatic row between India and Maldives led to a global #BoycottMaldives trend, however people sharing stock photos of from other countries, falsely portraying them as being of Lakshwadeep. In an irony, Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh shared an image on his official X handle, which showed an aerial view of three islands, asking people to explore parts of India which turned out be from Maldives. Later he deleted that post.
China on India-Maldives Row: ‘New Delhi should stay more open-minded’
In the midst of tensions between India and Maldives, the Global Times editorial clarified that Beijing never urged Malé to reject New Delhi due to conflicts between China and India. The piece emphasised China's perspective on cooperation between the Maldives and India, highlighting a willingness for trilateral collaboration involving China, India, and the Maldives.
"New Delhi should stay more open-minded, as China's cooperation with South Asian countries is not a zero-sum game," it said. Referring to the dispute between New Delhi and Male, China's state media addressed the situation in an editorial as Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu arrived in to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and finalise bilateral agreements. While the Maldives government distanced itself from three ministers' "insulting" comments regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, leading to their suspension, China advocated for an "open-minded" perspective on South Asian issues.
Maldivian President Muizzu also appealed to China to “intensify” efforts to send more tourists to his country, amid a spate of cancellation of reservations by Indian tourists after a diplomatic row.