India-Maldives relations and China

January 22, 2024

KATHMANDU – India’s relations with the Maldives have dipped in the past two weeks. It all began with the derogatory tweets of three Maldivian deputy ministers on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the Indian island of Lakshadweep, which he promoted as “full of many possibilities”. Like the Maldives, Lakshadweep possesses scenic beauty, but its tourism potential remains untapped.

President Mohamed Muizzu suspended the ministers for their comments on the Indian premier as New Delhi summoned the Maldivian ambassador and expressed displeasure. Social media was flooded with comparisons between Lakshadweep and the Maldives in terms of their touristic attractions as one of India’s major travel aggregators, Ease my Trip, announced they would no longer book trips to the island nation amid the trending social media campaign #boycottMaldives.

India topped the list of tourists visiting the Maldives in 2023, followed by Russia. The country also surpassed the 2022 total tourist arrival figure by an estimated 78,537 people. Muizzu, in his presidential inaugural address last November, placed a high priority on tourism, a top revenue generator. He also said Maldivian debt stood at an all-time high at 119 billion rufiyaa.

Reinstating China in the Maldives

Muizzu was on a state visit to China from January 4 to 12, 2024, which he termed his first bilateral visit since his presidency although he had visited Turkey in December 2023. During this trip, he signed around 20 “key” agreements and requested China to send more tourists to the Maldives to reclaim its top position. The bilateral relationship was elevated to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The Maldives is now one of 28 countries with such