Kampala: Amid strained relations between India and Maldives, foreign ministers of both nations met in Uganda's Kampala on Thursday. Taking to social media, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, said he had a meeting with his Maldives counterpart Moosa Zameer on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Jaishankar asserted he held a "frank" discussion with Zameer, besides discussing the issues related to NAM.
Notably, Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Uganda to attend the NAM Summit, which is scheduled from January 19-20.
This is the first conversation between the two foreign ministers after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep escalated to the highest level after three of the junior ministers of the newly formed Muizzu government offended the Indian leader with insulting remarks. Although the social media post of Jaishankar did not elaborate on the details of the conversation he had with his Maldivian counterpart, it was obvious that the ongoing diplomatic tension between both nations was discussed.
Maldives minister again rakes up Indian army withdrawal issue
However, the social media post of the Maldivian minister claimed he had discussed the withdrawal of the Indian army from the archipelago nation. Zameer asserted that he also held discussions on expediting the completion of ongoing development projects in the Maldives and cooperation between SAARC and NAM. Notably, several Indian companies have been running infrastructural projects in Maldives. The future of those projects has been stuck in limbo after the Maldivian President initiated an "Indian out" campaign during his election rally.
In a post on X, Zameer said it was a pleasure to meet Jaishankar in the margins of the NAM Summit. "We exchanged views on the ongoing high-level discussions on the withdrawal of Indian military personnel, as well as expediting the completion of ongoing development projects in the Maldives, and cooperation within SAARC and NAM," he wrote. "We are committed to further strengthening and expanding our cooperation," the Maldivian minister wrote. He also posted a photograph of the meeting.
India-Maldives tension
It is worth mentioning, that PM Narendra Modi, on January 4, shared some pictures of his recent visit to Lakshadweep. Without mentioning a single word on Maldives, the Prime Minister praised the beauty of Lakshadweep and said: "Recently, I had the opportunity to be among the people of Lakshadweep. I am still in awe of the stunning beauty of its islands and the incredible warmth of its people. I had the opportunity to interact with people in Agatti, Bangaram and Kavaratti. I thank the people of the islands for their hospitality. Here are some glimpses, including aerial glimpses from Lakshadweep..."
However, Mariyam Shiuna, Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts, commented on the photos of PM Modi's recent visit to Lakshadweep, a ‘clown’ and a ‘puppet of Israel’. “What a clown. The puppet of Israel Mr Narendra diver with a life jacket #VisitMaldives,” Shiuna tweeted. Her critical comments came as India has maintained good relations with Israel even though the country has been engaged in the ongoing war against Hamas. India, however, since the start of the conflict has helped Palestine, sending humanitarian aid and has actively advocated two-state solutions. Ignoring the fact, the minister called Prime Minister Modi a "puppet of Israel".
In fact, several of the ministers even claimed that Indian beaches could not meet the cleanliness level of the Maldives beaches. “The move is great. However, the idea of competing with us is delusional. How can they provide the service we offer? How can they be so clean? The permanent smell in the rooms will be the biggest downfall," Zahid Rameez, a Council member of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) wrote on X.
This triggered a major row on social media platforms, wherein the former President and Foreign Minister of Maldives denounced their country's leaders' comments. Former president Mohamed Nasheed denounced the comments and suggested his successor to distance his government from the controversial comment.
Maldives govt issues clarification
Apprehending the consequences, the government of Maldives issued a statement saying it was aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and high-ranking individuals and added it did not represent the views of the government.
"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," according to the statement.
A day after the suspension, India called the Maldives envoy in New Delhi and discussed the matter.
