Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:11am on 07 Jan 2024,Sunday India Global
A Maldives minister's tweet criticizing India's beach tourism potential after PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep has sparked a social media furor. The tweet came as posts of Modi snorkeling in Lakshadweep went viral with suggestions for it as an alternative to the Maldives. This further strained recent tensions since President Mohamed Muizzu assumed power. Muizzu has pledged discarding the "India first" policy and removing Indian military presence. Meanwhile, Muizzu is scheduled to visit China on January 9th after an invite from President Xi Jinping. Despite previous Maldivian presidents visiting India first given close bilateral ties, Muizzu's vice president recently visited China instead - underscoring shifts in strategic regional alignments. The tweet row underscores debates around India competing with the Maldives in beach tourism.
