"Maldives Officials Suspended for Insulting Modi; Fault Lines in India-Maldives Relationship Revealed"

Three deputy ministers in the Maldives have been suspended for making derogatory remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, leading to concerns about the impact on the relationship between the two countries. The comments came in response to Modi's visit to Indian islands near the Maldives, which some saw as an attempt to draw tourists away from the Maldives. The controversy comes amid a shift in the Maldives' foreign policy towards China, with the new president initially pledging to end the "India first" policy but later toning down anti-Indian rhetoric. The suspended officials' comments have sparked dismay among some prominent Indians and led to a campaign promoting local tourism in India.