The Maldives Government should realise that their economy is dependent on tourism and in the business of hospitality, one needs to be humble and not arrogant

For India, the Indian Ocean Region is a strategic space, since it provides for important trade routes and abundant resources. The Indian Ocean region provides the Indian defence forces with strategic depth and manoeuvrability too, making them capable of striking deep into Pakistan and China with stealth. So, India has long been wary of Chinese presence in the region and in countries like Sri Lanka and Maldives. The strategic importance of these countries can not be underplayed.

The President of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, is close to China since he oversaw key infrastructure projects backed by Beijing in Maldives back in the day. Since the time he was elected, there has been a deliberate distancing from India. There are many instances that point to that. The President has been pushing for the withdrawal of 77 Indian troops from Maldives who have been deployed there for humanitarian roles.

The government of Maldives is also reviewing 100-plus agreements between the two countries. Of which, it has already scrapped the hydrography agreement that allowed India to survey the territorial waters of the island nation. The President made his first foreign trip after being elected to Turkey, and at present, he is in China. This is a stark departure from the past, as traditionally the Presidents of this island nation have visited India on priority. Besides, the Vice President of Maldives has also been playing an active role at the China-sponsored Indian Ocean Forum. All these things hav acted as a catalyst for the current controversy and have made Indians feel bitter about the provocative remarks by some of the Maldives ministers.

Is the new Maldives government less liberal and more rigid towards India? Given that India is the third biggest trading partner of Maldives and ranks number one when it comes to tourism, the question that arises is if the time has come when India should leverage its position as a trading partner to set the strategic equation with Maldives right? These are the questions that have emerged out of the recent controversy that started from social media but is now having strategic undertones. These undertones are sure to reverberate in Beijing when President Muizzu is there. He is expecting to meet President Xi of China and a lot of business leaders, requesting them to invest in Maldive's infrastructure.

Maldives' government may have exaggerated the India card for negative sentiment votes and needs to understand the importance of synergy with India. Avoiding Chinese influence is crucial for regional strategic balance. Ministers' irresponsible comments rightly led to their suspension. India should focus on Lakshadweep's infrastructure, including fast ships, luxury hotels, and a sustainable ecosystem, outlining a vision plan for flourishing tourism.

Lakshadweep's unparalleled beauty deserves attention, but it must be coupled with a commitment to infrastructure development. Like Spiti and Kasauli in Himachal, sustaining tourist interest requires addressing water, electricity, and accommodation shortages. Implementing optical fibre network capability would enhance tourism and strategic potential. Encouraging destination weddings in Lakshadweep is a promising idea for affluent families. Maldive's government should realise that their economy is dependent on tourism and in the business of hospitality one needs to be humble and not arrogant. If their ministers keep on being arrogant, they may never recover from this hit on their tourism sector, no matter how many agreements they sign with China for infrastructure development. Maldives should realise that synergy between the two countries in various fields including tourism could further improve ties and also help travellers across the world. Cooperation and collaboration should be the way forward.

(The writer is expert on geopolitics and international Affairs. The views expressed are personal)