Maldives Wants More Indian Tourists, Plans To Start More Direct Flights

Maldivian, the national carrier of the Maldives, is planning to expand its operations in India as part of its aim to attract around 2 lakh Indian tourists, the airline said on Saturday. Following a brief strain in diplomatic ties with India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, the Maldives is once again promoting its tourist destinations to Indian travellers. "We never had any issues with India. In fact, the number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has gone up. India is also our biggest trade partner," Ibrahim Iyas, Managing Director of Maldivian, told reporters here.