China has been investing on infrastructure in the Maldives
Social media posts by a minister and other leaders in Maldives days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Lakshadweep archipelago has triggered a row. PM Modi's visit to the country's smallest Union Territory comprising 36 islands was seen a move to promote tourism on the island.
In the tweets, the ministers used derogatory words against PM Modi, accused India of targeting Maldives, and said India faces significant challenges in competing with the Maldives in beach tourism.
The tweet came after PM Modi's posts on X (formerly Twitter) about snorkelling in the Lakshadweep went viral, prompting social media users in India to suggest the island Union Territory as an alternate tourist destination to the Maldives.
Strongly condemning the comments by the ministers, former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed asked the incumbent President Mohamed Muizzu to tell the world that the comments by the ministers "do not reflect government policy".
"What appalling language by Maldives government official Mariyam Shiuna towards the leader of a key ally, that is instrumental for Maldives' security and prosperity. The Mohamed Muizzu government must distance itself from these comments and give clear assurance to India they do not reflect government policy," Mr Nasheed said in a post on X.
Hours later, the Maldives government in a statement said the comments were opinion of the individuals and not the views of the Maldivian government.
"The government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals. These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the government of Maldives," it said.
"The government believes that freedom of expression should be exercised in a democratic and responsible manner, and in ways that do not spread hatred, negativity, and hinder close relationships between the Maldives and its international partners," the Maldives government said in the statement.
"Moreover, the relevant authorities of the government will not hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks," the island nation's government said.
India-Maldives ties in the past few months have been strained, after President Mohamed Muizzu came to power.
In his election pledge, Mr Muizzu had said he would remove a small contingent of some 75 Indian military personnel in the Maldives, and also revise his nation's "India-first" policy.
Mr Muizzu is scheduled to visit China on Monday, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement. Chinese President Xi Jinping invited him, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.
Mr Muizzu, who is seen as a pro-China politician, had defeated his India-friendly predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the presidential run-off held in September.
"China and the Maldives boast time-honoured friendship. In the past 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have treated each other with respect and supported each other, setting a fine example of equality and mutual benefits between countries of different sizes," said Wang Wenbin, another spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, according to news agency PTI.
Mr Muizzu's predecessors in the recent past visited India first, considering the wide-ranging bilateral ties and the Maldives' proximity to India, followed by China, which has expanded its influence in the island nation by investing in major infrastructure projects there.
The new Maldives President had met PM Modi in Dubai on the sidelines of the COP28 climate talks in December 2023. Both leaders had agreed to set up a core group to discuss the multidimensional relations and further deepen ties.
The meeting also took place after Mr Muizzu asked New Delhi to withdraw 77 Indian military personnel from the Maldives and decided to review more than 100 bilateral agreements between the two countries.
The new Maldives Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef last month visited China, his first visit abroad, and took part in the China-sponsored China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation in Kunming.
Significantly, while praising Chinese infrastructure projects, Mr Latheef made no mention of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) under which most of the Maldives' infrastructure projects were built.
The Maldives is India's key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region and occupies a special place in India's initiatives such as SAGAR, or Security and Growth for All in the Region, and the 'Neighbourhood-First Policy' of the Modi government.
The Maldives' proximity to India, barely 70 nautical miles from the island of Minicoy in Lakshadweep, and 300 nautical miles from the mainland's western coast, and its location at the hub of commercial sea lanes running through the Indian Ocean, gives it significant strategic importance.
With inputs from PTI