Ex-President Nasheed apologizes to New Delhi after Maldives witnesses sharp decline in Indian tourist arrivals

As diplomatic tensions escalate between the Maldives and India, former President Nasheed issued an apology, expressing regret amidst a strained relationship. The fallout is evident as the Maldives experiences a significant drop in Indian tourist numbers.

Maldivian former President Mohamed Nasheed has issued an apology on behalf of the people of Maldives for the unfriendly exchanges by the present government headed by President Mohamed Muizzu in Male. After the December controversy, Maldives has consistently seen a decline in Indian tourists.

Ex-President Mohamed Nasheed expressed his disappointment in the way things went due to the approach of Mohamed Muizzu. The senior leader also recognized the impact that has been felt in the tourism and hospitality sector in Maldives due to the boycott call by Indians.

In an media event in New Delhi, he said, “It has impacted the Maldives a lot, and I am actually here in India. I'm very worried about this. I want to say the people of the Maldives are sorry, we are sorry that this has happened. We want Indian people to come on their holidays to the Maldives, and there will not be any change in our hospitality.

When the president of the Maldives wanted Indian military personnel to leave, you know what India did? They did not twist their arms. They did not display muscle, but just simply told the government of Maldives, 'Okay, let's have a discussion on that.”

Mr. Nasheed praised India's poised diplomatic approach amidst constant unfriendly signals from Male. President Mohamed Muizzu recently gave a May 10 deadline for a complete Indian troops withdrawal from the Indian Ocean nation. The Muizzu approach translated into boycott numbers from Indians.

A Maldives-based website Adhadhu tapped into the Maldives Tourist Department statistics which showcased a 33 percent decline in the inflow of tourists from India. As of March 2 this year, 27,224 Indian tourists visited Maldives while data from 2023 showcases that till March 2 last year, 41,054 Indian tourists visited the island nation. The comparative data translates to a decrease of 13,830 Indian tourists from last year.