Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a state visit to the Maldives. His arrival in the island nation is special this year not only because he is the Guest of Honour at the Maldives's 60th Independence Day celebrations but also because it marks a significant shift in the tides of diplomacy between the two countries.
From Frosty Ties To A Warm Welcome
Back in 2023, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's rise to power was strongly backed by the 'India Out' campaign - initially spearheaded by former President Abdulla Yameen. This movement, which pushed for reducing Indian influence in the Maldives, became central to Muizzu's electoral strategy.
Yet, once the campaign ended and governance began, Muizzu's tone began to shift. The first sign of that change came during the UN COP28 climate summit in Dubai, where he met Prime Minister Modi. That meeting laid the foundation for this current visit - and perhaps a new chapter in India-Maldives relations.
But before diplomacy took centre stage, it was something much smaller, a Twitter storm that led to a drop in Maldives tourism by a massive 42 per cent.
#BoycottMaldives
It all began with PM Modi's picturesque post on social media about Lakshadweep in January 2024. Lakshadweep, which falls under the Indian subcontinent, is part of the same island chain in the Laccadive Sea as the Maldives.
In that post, the Prime Minister encouraged Indians to 'dekho apna desh' and explore India's own tropical gems. But this simple message snowballed into something bigger. A few offhand comments by Maldivian officials on Indian social media users quickly turned it into a big digital controversy.
Almost instantly, Indians hit back online using hashtags such as #BoycottMaldives and #VisitLakshadweep on social media.
The #BoycottMaldives trend exited social media and entered IRL when senior CEOs also started urging people to not visit the Island. For instance, popular online ticketing platforms such as EaseMyTrip, MakeMyTrip, and Ixigo took part in the row in their own way.
EaseMyTrip: Suspended all flight bookings to the Maldives. The company's co-founder and CEO, Nishant Pitti, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that this was done "in solidarity with our nation" and actively encouraged Indian travelers to consider domestic destinations like Lakshadweep instead.
MakeMyTrip: Noted a massive surge (3,400%) in searches for Lakshadweep following the controversy and capitalised on this interest by launching a "Beaches of India" campaign, promoting Indian alternatives to the Maldives, with discounts and special offers for Indian destinations.
Ixigo: Another major online travel agency, Ixigo, reported a 2,900% increase in Lakshadweep-related searches and participated in the social media discourse encouraging tourism within India.
Additionally, the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) issued an appeal to Indian trade associations, urging them to stop promoting the Maldives and to divert travel interest toward Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and other regional destinations.
By early 2024, India's share had shrunk to just 5% of overall Maldives tourist arrivals. Photo: Unsplash
And unlike most online outrage, this one left a mark where it hurt the most - tourism.
Maldives Loses Its Sparkle Among Indian Travellers
In 2024, Indian tourist arrivals to the Maldives fell by approximately 42% compared to the previous year. India, which had been the top source market for Maldivian tourism in recent years, tumbled to fifth place.
It was a shocking drop for a destination that, until recently, seemed to have Indian travellers wrapped around its turquoise fingers.
From 2017 to 2022, Indian tourist arrivals grew sharply, thanks to bolstered tourism marketing, increased flight options, and celebrity endorsements (we'll get into the details in a bit). The highest ever Indian footfall was recorded in 2022, when over 2.4 lakh tourists visited. Indians even made up more than 22% of all tourist arrivals during peak years.
Then came the dip.
By early 2024, out of overall Maldives tourist arrivals, India's share had shrunk to just 5%. Diplomatic tensions, online controversies, and the alternative hype around Lakshadweep contributed to the decline.
Let's look at the numbers, to understand better:
Photo: Author/Ministry of Tourism Maldives.
(*2025 figure is an AI projection based on arrivals during the first quarter of the year and available industry trends; final numbers may vary)
However, now, with PM Modi's official visit and a renewed effort from both countries to improve relations, there's cautious optimism in the air. Ministry of Tourism Maldives continues to target Indian travellers with ambitious marketing, with new air routes being discussed again. In December 2024, Air India also launched daily flights to the Maldives from Mumbai and Delhi.
Some Indian travel companies have even resumed aggressive promotions with special packages and discounts in rupees, starting at Rs 38,000 for 3-night stays.
However, the lost numbers won't be regained in an instant. While the Maldives had set a goal of attracting over 3 lakh Indian tourists for the year 2025, current trends suggest it may take a couple of years to get even halfway back to that mark.
Why Maldives Became A Hit With Indians
Over the last decade, the Maldives transformed from a niche luxury honeymoon spot into an aspirational must-visit for Indian tourists across age groups. It wasn't just couples celebrating weddings or anniversaries - families, solo travellers, friend groups, and even influencers joined the bandwagon.
Here's why:
Bollywood's Love Affair
When celebrities such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tiger Shroff, Alia Bhatt, and countless others began sharing glamorous photos from their Maldivian getaways, Indians took notice. Maldives became the backdrop for everything.
In June 2025, Actor Katrina Kaif was also appointed as the global brand ambassador for 'Visit Maldives'.
The craze further rose when movies like Ek Villain, Ram Setu and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, also starring Katrina Kaif, were shot in the Island.
Instagram Influencers Followed
Let's be honest, the Maldives looks fantastic on the 'gram. With water villas, infinity pools, coral reefs and drone-worthy panoramas, every photo screams wanderlust.
Travel influencers and family relatives turned it into the ultimate backdrop for breathtaking photos, and soon it became the place to visit on everyone's bucket list.
Accessible Air Travel
Direct flights from major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, and Bengaluru made trip to the Maldives incredibly convenient.
In fact, in the late 2010s and early 2020s, budget carriers and new routes brought prices down drastically. Today, you can find a round trip flight to the Maldives for around Rs 20,000.
Visa-Free And Covid-Safe Branding
Unlike many destinations that were closed or cumbersome during the pandemic, the Maldives reopened early and welcomed Indian tourists with visa-free entry. At a time when the world was still wary of travel, the Maldives was marketing itself as a safe, luxurious escape. And it worked. Quite brilliantly.
So, is the Maldives's romance with Indian travellers over? Or, will PM Modi's current state visit usher in a new era in the island nation's tourism chapter?