Maldives (Commonwealth Union)_ In the midst of strained bilateral relations that have led to a drastic drop in Indian tourists visiting the Maldives, the island nation’s Minister of Tourism, Ibrahim Faisal, has issued an appeal to Indians to contribute to the Maldivian economy, which heavily depends on tourism. Accordingly, Minister Faisal underscored the historical ties between India and the Maldives, expressing the government’s eagerness for cooperation with India.
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Additionally, he stated that the two countries share a longstanding history, and the newly elected government is also keen on fostering collaboration with India. He highlighted that the Maldives has always advocated for peace and a welcoming environment and extended a warm reception to Indian visitors to visit the island. He made an open call to the Indian tourists on behalf of both the citizens and government, saying, “As the Tourism Minister, I want to tell Indians to please be a part of the Maldives’ tourism. Our economy depends on tourism”.
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The decline in Indian tourist arrivals was the result of disparaging remarks made against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi by three Maldivian officials on social media subsequent to Modi’s tweets featuring photos and videos of the pristine Lakshadweep Islands on India’s western coast. As a result of this event, a significant number of Indians, including celebrities, cancelled their reservations and abandoned plans to visit the Maldives, leading to a notable decrease in tourist arrivals. Additionally, the tourism arrival statistics illustrate how India, previously a leading source of visitors, descended from the foremost to the sixth position after January.
According to media reports, Indian tourist arrivals plummeted by 42 percent in the first four months of this year as opposed to the corresponding period last year. As of May 4, the Maldives witnessed 43,991 tourist arrivals from India, a decline from 73,785 arrivals during the same period the previous year. This substantial reduction in Indian tourists was due to the strained relations between India and the Maldives following President Mohamed Muizzu’s assumption of office in November 2023. The relationship between India and the Maldives eventually deteriorated due to President Muizzu’s, widely perceived pro-China, election manifesto, which promised to expel Indian military personnel from his country following his assumption of office.
Accordingly, after the election, Muizzu ordered the removal of 88 Indian military personnel deployed at three aviation platforms gifted by India to the Maldives. Additionally, he has also previously accused India of meddling in Maldivian affairs and clinched the presidential elections in September of the previous year with a campaign encouraging decreased Indian influence. Despite these tensions, the Maldives continues to remain a key maritime neighbor for India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and plays a pivotal role in endeavors like ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the ‘Neighborhood First Policy’ of the Modi government.
