A row has erupted between India and the Maldives after the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, visited the Indian islands of Lakshadweep to promote tourism.
The visit was perceived by some in the Maldives as an attempt to draw tourists away from the archipelago in the Indian Ocean, whose economy is heavily dependent on tourism.
Three Maldivian ministers have been suspended after making derogatory comments about Modi on social media, describing him as a “terrorist” and a “clown”. The Maldives foreign ministry said the comments – later deleted – were made in a personal capacity and did not represent the official government view.
