Maldivian high commissioner Ibrahim Shaheeb was summoned to India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on Monday morning. “Our High Commission in Maldives had strongly raised and expressed concerns about the comments made in regard to the prime minister by certain ministers in the Maldives government with the foreign office today,” an MEA official said.

This was followed by a meeting between India’s high commissioner to the Maldives and officials in Malé.“High commissioner Munu Mahawar had a pre-arranged meeting with H.E. Dr Ali Naseer Mohamed, Ambassador at Large, at MoFA, Maldives, today to discuss bilateral issues,” the Indian high commission in the Maldives posted on social media platform X.

Maldives has suspended three ministers and distanced itself from their views.

Senior politicians from Maldivian opposition, including former presidents Ibrahim Solih and Mohamed Nasheed and former foreign minister Abdulla Shahid also criticized the three ministers for their remarks. A number of other parliamentarians and former ministers raised their concerns.

“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…Moreover, the relevant authorities of the Government will not hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks,” the government said in a statement. However, the statement has failed to defuse tensions.

Indian industry bodies also put out statements calling on travel bodies to boycott the Maldives as a tourism destination.

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Published: 08 Jan 2024, 11:00 PM IST