Why Indians Are Threatening to Boycott the Maldives

A social-media post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoting an Indian tourism destination has escalated into a diplomatic spat with the Maldives, India’s sand-swept island-chain neighbor. The Maldivian government has suspended three ministers over the dispute, an Indian travel website has halted bookings to the Maldives and Indian celebrities have taken to social media to slam the tourism-dependent island nation known for its picture-perfect beaches and luxury hotels. The dispute underscores tensions that have developed between Modi’s India and some of its neighbors as the popular prime minister aims to position India as a rising global power and challenge China’s influence across the region.

The dispute began with a recent visit by Modi to Lakshadweep, an Indian archipelago of 36 islands situated to the north of the Maldives. A post on the social-media site X about the trip showed Modi snorkeling and strolling on the beaches of Lakshadweep and praising its scenery in a bid to boost tourism to the territory. The post drew criticism from some officials in the Maldives, a Muslim-majority country that relies heavily on tourism, who saw Modi as trying to draw visitors away from the Maldives. A deputy minister in the Maldives government, Mariyam Shiuana, called Modi a “clown” and a “puppet of Israel,” in reference to India’s perceived closer ties with Israel. The deputy minister’s post later appeared to be deleted. She and two other government officials were subsequently suspended for their remarks.