'Witness pristine and majestic underwater beauty of Lakshadweep,' says Israel amid India-Maldives row

Amidst a diplomatic spat between India and the Maldives, Israel has stepped into the limelight by showcasing the allure of the Lakshadweep islands. The controversy erupted following derogatory comments made by Maldivian ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his visit to Lakshadweep.

In response to the escalating tensions, Israel has expressed its readiness to begin a water desalination project in Lakshadweep, as per the Indian government's request. While mentioning that Israel was there in Lakshadweep last year upon the government's request to initiate the desalination program, it said that the country is ready to commence working on this project tomorrow. For the unversed, desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from water.

The Israeli embassy in India took to social media to share images and videos highlighting the "pristine and majestic underwater beauty" of Lakshadweep. “Israel is ready to commence working on this project tomorrow,” Israel embassy in India said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

This move comes shortly after Prime Minister Modi's own promotion of the islands' tourism potential, which included an account of his snorkeling experience there. The global attention garnered by Lakshadweep did not sit well with some Maldivian officials, who made disparaging remarks about India's ability to compete with the Maldives in terms of tourism.

Maldivian politician Zahid Rameez openly mocked PM Modi's visit, while minister Mariyam Shiuna went so far as to call the Indian Prime Minister a "clown" and a "puppet of Israel" in now-deleted social media posts.

Following the backlash, the Maldivian government distanced itself from these comments, clarifying that they do not reflect the official stance of the government, and suspended three deputy ministers, including Shiuna, for their inappropriate remarks.

The Maldivian government suspended three deputy ministers on Sunday after they questioned Modi's post on X following his visit to Lakshadweep, implying that it was an attempt to promote the Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.

The incident has sparked a call for a boycott of the Maldives among Indian celebrities and citizens, with the hashtag #BoycottMaldives trending in India. This public outcry is significant given that Indian tourists constitute a substantial portion of visitors to the Maldives, with over 200,000 Indians having visited the island nation up until December 2023.

Also Read: ‘We are working with airlines to improve direct connectivity to Lakshadweep,' says EaseMyTrip CEO amid India-Maldives row