NEW DELHI — NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a collection of pictures on social media final week displaying him snorkeling, strolling on a white-sand seashore and lounging in a chair subsequent to turquoise waters in Lakshadweep, an island chain within the Indian Ocean.

It was an “exhilarating experience,” he wrote on X, previously Twitter, as he peppered with reward the pristine lesser-known and distant Indian archipelago his authorities believes has untapped potential for tourism. The photographs have been met with awe by Indians on social media, significantly Modi’s supporters.

But some 70 nautical miles south, his seashore pictures raked up a storm.

In the tiny archipelago nation of Maldives, some noticed the tourism marketing campaign as an try to attract guests away from their nation. Three senior Maldives officers reacted to Modi’s submit over the weekend calling him a “clown,” a “terrorist” and a “puppet of Israel.” Many different Maldivians insulted Indian vacationers on social media.

In India, the response was swift.

Government officers, Bollywood stars and cricketers started urging individuals to show to Lakshwadeep, in a push to advertise native vacation locations. Many holidaymakers posted screenshots on X with the hashtag #BoycottMaldives to point out that they had canceled their journeys to the island nation. On Monday, an Indian journey portal, EaseMyTrip, joined in by suspending bookings for flights to the Maldives, saying the transfer was made “in solidarity with our nation.”

The Maldives officers later deleted their posts and have been suspended by the nation’s president for posting “derogatory” feedback in opposition to India, in a bid to regulate the fallout with New Delhi.

The incident highlighted the delicate nature of the connection between India and the Maldives and its susceptibility to a breakdown at a time when Beijing and New Delhi are each vying for affect within the island nation.

It additionally showcased a conundrum confronted by the Maldives — the place successive governments have both been pro-India or pro-China — and the excessive stakes in a nation the place tourism is a serious a part of its economic system.

Indian vacationers have been the biggest group by nationality that visited the Maldives final 12 months, comprising almost 11% of its tourism market, based on the official Maldives tourism web site. Many of them are high-spending guests who love its luxurious shores.

India can be a strategic ally of the Maldives, with navy personnel stationed on the islands. But relations between Male and New Delhi have deteriorated since Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, who’s seen as pro-Chinese, was elected in November after campaigning on an “India Out” platform calling to take away the personnel, saying they posed a risk to his nation’s sovereignty.

Maldivian presidents have lengthy made New Delhi their first worldwide vacation spot after being elected, as a nod to India’s affect within the island nation. But Muizzu broke with that custom and flew to Turkey in December for his first abroad journey.

Muizzu traveled to China on Sunday, the day the controversy over Modi’s seashore go to broke. On Tuesday, Muizzu described Beijing because the island nation’s “closest” ally and urged it to extend funding within the Maldives, signaling a shift in coverage.

“China was our No. 1 market pre-Covid, and it is my request that we intensify efforts for China to regain this position,” he mentioned in a speech at a enterprise discussion board in Fujian province in southeastern China.

Experts say the Maldives can not afford to distance India and that its authorities’s swift motion to droop the officers and denounce their feedback confirmed how a lot it values relations with New Delhi.

Former Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed mentioned Muizzu selecting to go to China earlier than India wouldn’t have “raised any eyebrows” if not for his “India Out” marketing campaign in the course of the election.

“I don’t see anything that shows a tilt towards China,” he mentioned, referring to Muizzu’s speech in Fujian, including that it was a typical speech he had delivered beforehand.

But Shaheed mentioned the controversy over Indian troops stationed within the Maldives could have ignited tensions.

An unknown variety of Indian navy personnel are stationed within the island nation. Their actions embrace working two helicopters donated by India and aiding within the rescue of people that need assistance at sea.

There are indicators the Maldives doesn’t wish to escalate the tensions additional.

The Maldives Association of Tour and Travel Operators on Tuesday referred to as on EaseMyTrip to ignore the “regrettable” feedback that led to the controversy and mentioned they “did not reflect sentiments of Maldivians in general.”

In a submit on X on Monday, Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer referred to as the officers’ remarks “unacceptable,” and mentioned his nation is dedicated to “fostering a positive and constructive dialogue with our partners.”

“The government of Maldives can’t afford to have a spat with India, and it will be an economic suicide. Everybody should see this,” mentioned Shaheed.

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Associated Press author Krishan Francis contributed from Colombo, Sri Lanka.