NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a series of photos on social media last week showing him snorkeling, strolling on a white-sand beach and lounging in a chair next to turquoise waters in Lakshadweep, an island chain in the Indian Ocean.
It was an “exhilarating experience,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, as he peppered with praise the pristine lesser-known and remote Indian archipelago his government believes has untapped potential for tourism. The images were met with awe by Indians on social media, particularly Modi’s supporters.
But some 70 nautical miles south, his beach photos raked up a storm.
In the tiny archipelago nation of Maldives, some saw the tourism campaign as an attempt to draw visitors away from their country. Three senior Maldives officials reacted to Modi's post over the weekend calling him a “clown,” a “terrorist” and a “puppet of Israel.” Many other Maldivians insulted Indian tourists on social media.
In India, the response was swift.
Government officials, Bollywood stars and cricketers began urging people to turn to Lakshwadeep, in a push to promote local holiday destinations. Many holidaymakers posted screenshots on X with the hashtag #BoycottMaldives to show they had canceled their trips to the island nation. On Monday, an Indian travel portal, EaseMyTrip, joined in by suspending bookings for flights to the Maldives, saying the move was made “in solidarity with our nation.”
The Maldives officials later deleted their posts and were suspended by the country's president for posting “derogatory” comments against India, in a bid to control the fallout with New Delhi.
The incident highlighted the fragile nature of the relationship between India and the Maldives and its susceptibility to a breakdown at a time when Beijing and New Delhi are both vying for influence in the island nation.
It also showcased a conundrum faced by the Maldives — where successive governments have either been pro-India or pro-China — and the high stakes in a nation where tourism is a major part of its economy.
Indian tourists were the largest group by nationality that visited the Maldives last year, comprising nearly 11% of its tourism market, according to the official Maldives tourism website. Many of them are high-spending visitors who love its luxury shores.
India is also a strategic ally of the Maldives, with military personnel stationed on the islands. But relations between Male and New Delhi have deteriorated since Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, who is seen as pro-Chinese, was elected in November after campaigning on an “India Out” platform calling to remove the personnel, saying they posed a threat to his country’s sovereignty.