Highlights: Indians' boycott will hit us hard, says ex-Maldives minister

Lakshadweep row highlights: Catch all the highlights on India-Maldives spat

Derogatory comments directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi reveal the Maldives government's "short-sightedness," the country's former Defence Minister, Mariya Ahmed Didi stated amid the ongoing diplomatic tussle between India and Maldives. 

Mariya Ahmed Didi stressed that India has been a reliable partner. The Maldivian government informed the Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar that the remarks against PM Modi do not represent its views. Maldives is facing a backlash after three ministers from the Maldives cabinet made unparliamentary remarks against PM Modi following his visit to Lakshadweep last week. 

Mickail Naseem, a Maldives Member of Parliament, has asked the Parliament to summon the foreign minister in response to the Maldives government's inactivity and lack of urgency. 

Naseem has also formally asked that the parliamentary committee summon the implicated officials for questioning, emphasising the importance of accountability and prompt action in response to the disrespectful remarks made by senior officials against PM Modi.

Meanwhile, the Congress has said the island nation is now in the Chinese "sphere of influence", and there needs to be a reality check.

5:34 PM

If anybody says anything about India, there will be natural consequences: Hardeep Singh Puri on Maldives row

2:27 PM

Tourism in Maldives dips after adverse comments by politicians on PM Modi

In a significant development, the tourism sector in the Maldives is experiencing a downturn following the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Modi's visit to Lakshadweep. The fallout has been analysed across various aspects of the industry.

 

Madhav Oza, Director of Blue Star Air Travel Services, sheds light on the impact, stating, "In an overall analysis, let's first delve into a sector-specific examination. If we look at India-Maldives direct flights, there are 7 to 8 such flights across the country, with Mumbai hosting 3 direct flights. According to my analysis, the direct flight capacity from India is around 1200 to 1300 passengers per day, and this is likely to significantly impact expectations, leading to a cancellation rate of 20 to 30 percent in bookings. People are grappling with concerns about whether they should proceed with their travel plans."

1:59 PM

Maldives row: Indian tourists nearly double to 11% in 5 years

India rose as top source market for tourism in Maldives since the Covid-19 pandemic, The Indian Express (IE) reported on Tuesday.

 

A full-blown row between the two countries began after three ministers from the Maldives cabinet made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Modi following his visit to Lakshadweep last week. 

 

According to IE estimates, Indians in 2023 accounted for 11.2 per cent of the total tourist arrivals—1.84 million—in the Maldives, with Russia at second place with a share of 11.1 per cent. 

1:45 PM

China 'valued ally, integral collaborator': Maldives President amid diplomatic row with India

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu hailed Beijing as a "valued ally and integral collaborator" of the Indian Ocean island nation and hailed the cooperation between the two countries. Miuzzu arrived in China on Monday on his first state visit.

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Muizzu, who is regarded as "pro-China", met provincial officials in Fujian on the first day of his five-day visit, a day after he fired three ministers for making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

1:07 PM

India-Maldives row: Maldives MP asks Parliament to summon foreign minister over govt's inactivity

Mickail Naseem, a Maldives MP, has asked the Parliament to summon the foreign minister in response to the Maldives government's inactivity and lack of urgency. 
 

Naseem has also formally urged that the parliamentary committee summon the implicated officials for questioning, emphasising the importance of accountability and prompt action in response to the disrespectful remarks made by senior officials against PM Modi.