NEW DELHI, India, Jan 8: In a significant development on Monday, EaseMyTrip, one of India's prominent travel platforms, took the unprecedented step of suspending flight bookings to the Maldives. This decision follows a series of disparaging social media posts against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, straining relations between the two South Asian neighbors. India and Russia are major contributors to the Maldives' tourism industry, accounting for a substantial portion of the visitors to the idyllic Indian Ocean destination, where tourism constitutes nearly one-third of the economy, as reported by the World Bank.

Prashant Pitti, co-founder and Executive Director of EaseMyTrip, stated that the suspension of bookings to the Maldives is indefinite. While historical ties between New Delhi and Male have been close, recent tensions have arisen since President Mohamed Muizzu assumed power in November, championing an 'India Out' campaign. The controversy surrounding derogatory comments by three now-suspended Maldivian ministers about Prime Minister Modi coincides with President Muizzu's departure for China on his first state visit from January 8-12, deviating from the convention of most Maldivian leaders choosing New Delhi as their initial international destination.

With both Beijing and New Delhi seeking influence in the Indian Ocean nation, Pitti justified the decision, stating, "We decided to take this step because any self-respecting nation should do this. The statements which we heard from the representatives of the Maldives government were extremely derogatory to the country." EaseMyTrip, holding a substantial 22% market share, is the second-largest online travel booking platform in India.

In response to the derogatory remarks, the Maldives government suspended deputy ministers Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid. The trio had referred to Prime Minister Modi as a "clown," "terrorist," and a "puppet of Israel" on the social media platform X, following a video of him promoting local tourism in the Indian islands of Lakshadweep, north of the Maldives.

Despite the potential for a "temporary dip in international tourism," Pitti affirmed that his company would prioritize promoting Lakshadweep over foreign locations. Many Indians, including celebrities, have echoed this sentiment, sharing social media posts advocating domestic destinations over the Maldives.

In response to the escalating situation, New Delhi summoned Maldivian envoy Ibrahim Shaheeb, while India's mission in Male expressed concerns with the Maldivian foreign ministry on Sunday. The Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives, Munu Mahawar, also engaged in a "pre-arranged" meeting with the Maldivian foreign ministry on Monday, as reported by X.

Tourism stands as the largest foreign exchange earner for the Maldives, with India and Russia contributing the highest number of visitors, approximately 209,000 each in the previous year. Despite the current challenges, the Maldives has set an ambitious target of welcoming 2 million arrivals in 2024.