India-Maldives Issue: Relations between India and Maldives are going through difficult times. Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu’s ‘India Out’ slogan and spats with China have increased tensions in relations with India. Meanwhile, the Maldives Boycott campaign of Indians has started having an impact on Maldives. According to the data of Maldives Tourism Ministry, Indians have now come from third to fifth position in terms of visiting Maldives.
According to the report of Hindustan Times, in the three weeks data of Maldives Tourism Ministry, the number of Indian tourists has come down from third place to fifth place. It is believed that the main reason for the decline in the number of Indian travelers going to Maldives is the diplomatic tension that has arisen between the two countries in the recent past.
Indian tourists are becoming disillusioned
There is no doubt that Indian tourists have been a major part of Maldives’ tourism sector for a long time. According to the report, Indian tourists would account for about 11 percent of Maldives’ tourism market in 2023.
PM on 2nd January Narendra Modi There has been a decline in the number of Indian tourists visiting Maldives after the controversy sparked by the post regarding Lakshadweep tour and beaches there.
Earlier China was not even in the top 10 list
According to the Maldives tourism website, India started 2024 as the third largest contributor to its tourism with 7.1 percent market share, while China was not even in the list of top 10 markets.
However, this figure changed very rapidly due to diplomatic tension. Till January 28, India’s market share in Maldives tourism remained at 8 percent, but China and Britain overtook it and reached third and fourth position.
What was the dispute?
The social media post regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep was seen as an alternative to Maldives. Three junior ministers of Maldives’ Mohammed Muizzoo government made objectionable statements regarding this, making fun of PM Modi and India.
These statements created an atmosphere against Maldives in India and talk of boycotting it started on social media. Many people and a tourism website named EasyMyTrip canceled their flight bookings to Maldives. However, later the Maldivian ministers deleted their posts and were also suspended.
Despite this, this matter has not stopped yet. Many organizations related to the tourism industry of Maldives are continuously appealing to India to normalize the situation by ending the tension between the two countries.
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