Narendra Modi/X (Twitter)
Narendra Modi promotes India's Lakshadweep Islands on his X account.
New Delhi CNN –
The Maldives is facing a boycott of one of its biggest sources of tourism revenue after three of its officials mocked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This sparked calls from Indian citizens and celebrities to avoid the sun-drenched getaway in favor of local beaches.
The controversy erupted after Modi posted on the social platform
Modi did not mention India's picturesque neighbor, the Maldives, in his post, but his effusive praise for the lesser-known archipelago's beautiful scenery may have been seen as a charm offensive to lure people there for vacation rather than the Maldives.
According to Portal, three Maldives officials responded to his post, calling Modi a “clown,” “terrorist,” and “a puppet of Israel.”
The Maldivian government quickly distanced itself from her comments and suspended the three officials – deputy ministers of the Ministry of Youth Employment, Information and Arts – a senior Maldivian official told Portal on Sunday.
In a statement, the government of Maldives said it was aware of the “derogatory” comments on social media but stressed that “opinions are personal” and do not reflect its views.
“The government believes that freedom of expression should be exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, in a manner that does not spread hate or negativity and hinder close relations between the Maldives and its international partners,” it said.
03:09 – Source: CNN
Officials suspended for mocking Indian PM
The incident comes at a sensitive time as Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu embarks on a five-day visit to China, his first as president after his election victory last October.
Known for his pro-China stance, Muizzu vowed to end his predecessor's “India first” policies in a region where New Delhi and Beijing are vying for influence.
According to a government statement, he is expected to meet Chinese officials during the trip and sign “important agreements to improve trade, professional and socio-economic development.”
But while Muizzu will be keen to deepen ties with Beijing, the tiny Indian Ocean archipelago – home to around half a million people – cannot afford to anger its nearest neighbor.
The Maldives relies heavily on tourism and a large portion of that revenue comes from India – according to the Maldives tourism website, the world's most populous country received the largest group of tourists visiting its tropical beaches last year.
Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images
Tourists disembark from a seaplane at a resort in Baa Atoll in the Maldives on September 24, 2023.
Indian tourists made more than 209,000 trips to the Maldives in 2023, accounting for 11% of the tourism market there, statistics released last week showed. Russia contributed about the same amount, and China was not far behind with 187,118 visits, or 10% of the total.
But the officials' comments angered some Indian holidaymakers, who posted screenshots on social media using the hashtag #BoycottMaldives to show they had canceled their trips to the island chain.
Prominent personalities, from Bollywood actors to cricketers, also urged fans to turn to local destinations instead, with another hashtag #ChaloLakshadweep – meaning “Let's go to Lakshadweep”, where Modi was visiting – gaining traction won.
Among them was Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, who is known for playing the lead role in patriotic-themed films. He called the Maldivian officials' comments “hateful and racist.”
“We are good to our neighbors, but why should we tolerate such unprovoked hatred? I have visited the Maldives many times and have always praised it, but dignity comes first. Let us resolve to #ExploreIndianIslands and support our own tourism,” he said.
Indian travel site EaseMyTrip said on Monday that it had suspended bookings for flights to the Maldives.
“In solidarity with our nation, @EaseMyTrip has suspended all flight bookings for the Maldives,” said Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip, in a post on X.
In a post on
A source told CNN on Monday that the Indian High Commission in the Maldives had “raised and expressed strong concerns” to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry.
Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, said the Maldivian government's swift action to suspend the officials and denounce their comments showed how much it values ties with India.
“This dispute that has unfolded over the last few days suggests that there are some challenges ahead, but I would say that ultimately the new leadership in the Maldives does not want to risk losing its ties with India,” said he.
“I would argue that this government in the Maldives wants to balance its relations with both India and China.”