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2024 India–Maldives diplomatic row

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For overall relationship between India & Maldives, see India–Maldives relations.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) meeting Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu (left) at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference

In January 2024, relations between India and the Maldives, traditionally close neighbors with strong historical and cultural ties, became strained due to derogatory remarks made by Maldivian cabinet ministers and concerns over racism directed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India as a whole.[1]

Reactions in India called for a boycott of vacations to the Maldives. The dispute with the Maldives also led to the death of a young Maldivian teenager who was waiting to be transported to India for medical treatment via an air ambulance. His family's request for evacuation was denied by Maldivian authorities.[2][3]

Background

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Bathala island in the Maldives

The 2023 Maldivian presidential election saw Mohamed Muizzu come into power. A key campaign topic was the Maldives' relationship with China and India. The incumbent, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, campaigned on an "India-first" policy, aiming to strengthen ties with the Maldives' geographical and cultural neighbor, India. In contrast, Muizzu adopted the slogan "India Out," calling for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel stationed on the archipelago[4][5][6] while campaigning for closer relations with China.[7] This stance aligned with the policies of former president Abdulla Yameen, founder of the People's National Congress, under whom the Maldives joined China's Belt and Road Initiative.[8]

Muizzu was elected president in the second round, winning 54.04% of the vote against the incumbent Solih's 46.04%. He was sworn in as the new president on 17 November 2023.[9][10] President Xi Jinping of China welcomed the election,[11][12] while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Muizzu and conveyed his "good wishes for the strengthening of democracy, peace, and prosperity in the country."[13]

Derogatory remarks

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Kadmat Island, Lakshwadeep

In January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshwadeep, a union territory of India in the Indian Ocean, and posted pictures of an island in Lakshadweep on his Instagram account as part of the Indian government's effort to boost tourism and promote development in the region.[14] This prompted many Indians to search for and take an interest in the islands.[15] Indian social media users began comparing the Maldives, a popular tourist destination for many Indians, with their own domestic islands in Lakshadweep.[16][17] In response, Zahid Rameez, a member of the Progressive Party of Maldives, accused the Indian government of "copying a small economy like Sri Lanka," triggering an online boycott of Maldivian tourism.[18] He further stirred controversy by tweeting that India would be "delusional" to offer service and cleanliness comparable to the Maldives.[19]

On 7 January, three sitting Maldivian deputy ministers—Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid—made derogatory and racist remarks about Prime Minister Modi and Indians on social media, coinciding with his visit.[20][21] The remarks triggered strong reactions in India, leading the Indian High Commission in the Maldives to raise the issue with the Maldivian government.[22] Under President Mohamed Muizzu, the Maldivian government swiftly distanced itself from the comments, suspending the three ministers and emphasizing that their opinions did not reflect the official stance.[23] On the same day, the Maldivian government issued a statement condemning the derogatory remarks, clarifying that these opinions were personal and did not represent the government's official position.[24] The statement clarified that these opinions are personal and do not reflect the official stance of the Maldivian government. The statement reaffirmed the government's commitment to freedom of expression, exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, and emphasized that such comments should not hinder close relations with India.[25] It also indicated that relevant authorities may take action against individuals making such remarks.[26]

In April, Mariyam Shiuna, one of the suspended ministers, made a mocking Twitter post about the Indian flag. Following the uproar over the post, she issued an apology.[27]

Reaction

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India

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The remarks by the Maldivian ministers led to widespread outrage in India, with many people canceling planned vacations to the island country. The hashtag "#BoycottMaldives" began trending on social media.[28]

Opposition leader and politician Sharad Pawar stated, "He is the Prime Minister of our country, and if anyone from another country holding any position makes such comments about our PM, we won't accept it. We must respect the PM's position. We won't accept anything against the Prime Minister from outside the country."[29] Indian tourists to the Maldives dipped by 42% in the first four months of 2024 in comparison to the same period in 2023. "[30]

Maldives

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Former President Mohamed Nasheed stated, "The people of the Maldives are sorry; we are sorry that this has happened." He also expressed a desire for Indian tourists to visit during their holidays and assured that this incident would not affect the country's hospitality. He urged the government to resolve the dispute with India.[31]

Rise in tensions

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Muizzu (left) meeting Xi Jinping in January 2024

On 7 January, Muizzu arrived in China on an invitation extended by President Xi Jinping.[32] As a pro-China candidate, Muizzu's presidential campaign focused on reducing Indian influence in Maldivian affairs. Observers have described him as pro-China.[33][34][35] On 13 January, in an interview after returning from China, Muizzu stated:

We, our country maybe small. But that doesn't give you the license to bully us![36][37]

In pre-office interviews, Muizzu stated that all Indian troops should leave the Maldives. As of 2023, the Maldivian Defense Ministry reported that around 90 Indian personnel were stationed in the country, operating aircraft provided by India.

Following a state visit to China, Muizzu requested that India withdraw its troops by 10 May, linking the conflict to the sovereignty of the Maldives. He views India's failure to withdraw its troops as a sign of disrespect towards the Maldives' democracy. After the second India-Maldives high-level core group meeting, Malé announced that India would replace its military personnel involved in operating its base in the Maldives. India stated only that both sides had agreed on a set of "Mutually Workable Solutions."[38] The Maldivian government announced that 51 of these soldiers were repatriated to India on 6 May. By 10 May, the last batch of Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives had been repatriated.[39]

On 9 May, Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced a diplomatic meeting between Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and his Maldivian counterpart, Zameer. The MEA spokesperson also confirmed the appointment of "competent Indian technical personnel" to replace the Indian troops. These personnel are essential for operating Indian aviation platforms, which are crucial for evaluation, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response activities in the Maldives.[40]

The move was confirmed again by Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer on 11 May, stating that 78 Indian military personnel would be replaced by civilian employees from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to continue operating the Indian aviation platforms gifted to the Maldives. Later, the Maldivian defense minister admitted that the country's defense forces were still not capable of flying the aircraft donated by India.[41]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ ""Indians Rightfully Angry": Maldives MP Amid Row Over Ministers' Remarks". NDTV.com. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  2. ^ Biswas, Sayantani. "Maldives teen dies waiting for air ambulance, minister blames President Muizzu's 'animosity' towards India". Mint.
  3. ^ Gupta, Adarsh Kumar. "Sick Maldivian teen dies after President Mohammed Muizzu refused India's plane services: Report". Hindustan Times.
  4. ^ Ethirajan, Anbarasan (22 October 2022). "Mohamed Muizzu: The Maldives' new president wants India out". BBC News. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Mohamed Muizzu: The Maldives' new president wants India out". Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Told Indian envoy 'every single Indian military personnel should be removed': Maldives Prez-elect Muizzu". Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Pro-China candidate Mohamed Muizzu wins Maldives presidency, upending relationship with India". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 30 September 2023. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Maldives election: Pro-China candidate Muizzu wins presidency". BBC. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  9. ^ Masood, Mohamed Iyad (2 October 2023). "Preparations underway for Muizzu to be sworn in on November 17". Sun. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  10. ^ "President-elect to be sworn in at 1645hrs on November 17". PSM News. 24 October 2023. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  11. ^ "China's President Xi Jinping Congratulates Maldivian President-Elect Dr. Muizzu". Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  12. ^ "1st LD Writethru: Xi congratulates Muizzu on election as Maldives president-Xinhua". Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  13. ^ Modi, Narendra [@narendramodi] (1 October 2023). "Congratulations and greetings to @MMuizzu on being elected as President of the Maldives" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ "Prime Minister Modi visits Lakshadweep, highlights decade of development in Islands". The Hindu. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Global search interest in Lakshadweep peaks to a 20-year high after PM Modi's visi". The Times of India. 8 January 2024.
  16. ^ Singh, Vikrant (6 January 2024). "Maldives jittery as 'Lakshadweep' remains top trend in India for second consecutive day". WION.
  17. ^ Banerjee, Anindya; Thirumalai, Nitya (5 January 2024). "Did PM Modi Just Checkmate Hostile Maldives? Google Searches for Lakshadweep Skyrocket". News18.
  18. ^ Abbas, Ajmal (7 January 2024). "Maldivian leader mocks PM Modi's Lakshadweep visit, remarks spark row". India Today News Desk. India Today.
  19. ^ "'How can they be so clean?': Maldives politician after PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep". Livemint. Mint. 7 January 2024.
  20. ^ Bhaumik, Anirban. "Maldives suspends 3 deputy ministers after India raises issue of derogatory remarks against PM Modi". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  21. ^ "India summons Maldives envoy over ministers' remarks". 8 January 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  22. ^ "'Opinions personal': Maldives warns leaders over social media attacks on PM Modi". India Today. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  23. ^ Pandey, Ashish (8 January 2024). ""Shameful, Racist": Maldives MP Condemns Ministers' Remark On India, PM Modi – Times of Viral". Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  24. ^ "HT's full coverage of Maldives row: PM Modi's tweet, ministers' remarks and more". Hindustan Times. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Maldives govt suspends 3 ministers over racist remarks against PM Modi for Lakshadweep post: Reports". The Times of India. 8 January 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  26. ^ Bhattacherjee, Kallol (7 January 2024). "Maldives suspends three Deputy Ministers as India raises issue of disrespectful remarks against PM". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  27. ^ "Maldives Minister Regrets Disparaging Post 'Mocking' Indian National Flag's Ashok Chakra". News18. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  28. ^ Singh Rawat, Sudeep (8 January 2024). "Boycott Maldives trends on X, here are the celebrities who joined campaign". Business Standard.
  29. ^ "Sharad Pawar defends Modi". APB News.
  30. ^ "With drop in tourist numbers, Maldives sends tourism minister Ibrahim Faisal to India to promote 'Welcome India' initiative". First post.
  31. ^ Mishra, Samiran (9 March 2024). ""People Of Maldives Are Sorry": Ex President Nasheed Amid Row With India". NDTV.
  32. ^ "The President and First Lady to make a state visit to China". The Presidents Office. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  33. ^ Macan-Markar, Marwaan (1 October 2023). "Maldives' Muizzu marches to victory on anti-India drumbeat". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  34. ^ "Who is Mohamed Muizzu, Maldives's pro-China president-elect?". Al Jazeera. 1 October 2023. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  35. ^ "Pro-China candidate Mohamed Muizzu wins Maldives presidency, upending relationship with India". The Guardian. AFP. 1 October 2023. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  36. ^ "Interview after H.E. president's official visit to China". YouTube (Video). Presidents office, Maldives. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  37. ^ "We maybe small. But that doesn't give you the license to bully us". The Presidents Office, Maldives. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  38. ^ Tiwari, Vaibhav (5 February 2024). "Indian forces to leave Maldives by May 10, Mohamed Muizzu tells parliament". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  39. ^ "India fully withdraws soldiers from Maldives: Presidential spokesperson". The Hindu. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  40. ^ "Reciprocal sensitivity a must for ties: EAM S Jaishankar to Male". The Times of India. 10 May 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  41. ^ "Our troops not capable of operating Dornier aircraft given by India: Maldives Defence Minister". The Economic Times. 13 May 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
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