Boycott Maldives Row: Indian Foreign Experts react to Lakshadweep Vs Maldives row| Oneindia

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Indian Foreign Experts react to Lakshadweep Vs Maldives row. Watch here      #BoycottMaldives #IndianForeignExperts #AbhijitIyerMitra #RobinderSachdev #KPFabian #DiplomaticRow #MEA #MaldivianEnvoy #IndiaMaldivesRelations #DiplomacyInAction #Summons #InternationalRelations #DiplomaticTensions #BoycottControversy #DiplomaticResolution #MEAStatement #BilateralRelations #MaldivesDiplomacy #DiplomaticDialogue #DiplomaticProtocol #EnvoyMeeting #DiplomaticStandoff #DiplomaticDiscussions #GlobalRelations                 ~PR.152~ED.155~GR.125~HT.96~

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00:00 Referring to India as cow dung mixed with laddus and god knows what not.

00:05 A very uncivilised language for a deputy minister to be using.

00:10 It's absolutely deplorable the comments which are coming out from sections of Maldives.

00:16 It is better for us to engage with Maldives.

00:19 India not only helps the economy of Maldives through our tourism, right,

00:25 we also provide them security.

00:27 How can somebody in the Maldives not know the difference between scuba diving and snorkelling?

00:32 For leaders, leadership people in Maldives to pass such comments on India is I think absolutely uncalled for.

00:40 First let's look at the genesis of this.

00:42 This all started off because the Indian Twitter commentariat decided to start comparing,

00:49 you know, the Prime Minister's visit to the Lakshadweep as some kind of a counter to Maldives,

00:55 which it absolutely was not.

00:57 You know, the development of tourism in India is completely sui generis.

01:01 It has nothing to do with the Maldives or in response to the Maldives,

01:04 because that implies that we've kept the Lakshadweep poor as a sort of response to the Maldives.

01:10 Now, when Twitterati are fighting, you know, Maldivian Twitterati versus Indian Twitterati,

01:17 the real question is why did members of the Maldivian government decide to get involved in all of this?

01:22 Because Indian Twitterati are not the Indian government.

01:25 Government involvement is a completely different ballgame.

01:28 And this is the first big question. Why did they get involved?

01:32 The second question is once they did get involved,

01:35 what is the kind of language that government officials are using?

01:39 Referring to India as cow dung mixed with laddus and God knows what not.

01:45 Very uncivilized language for a deputy minister to be using.

01:49 The issue is, you know, the appalling lack of knowledge that seems to be displayed by the Maldivian tourism industry.

01:57 Because you see, what's been happening is that they've been tweeting that the average Western traveler spends two thousand five hundred dollars,

02:04 whereas the average Indian traveler only spends seven hundred and fifty.

02:07 That is true. But that entire seven hundred and fifty dollars goes into the Maldivian economy

02:12 because the price bracket at which Indian travelers go to the Maldives is entirely localized.

02:21 Whereas all those Western companies, they make all their profits skimming off.

02:25 And these are huge profit margins. There is no way a suite in the Maldives costs fifteen thousand dollars a night.

02:31 Out of that, maximum, say, two, three hundred dollars are going into the Maldivian economy.

02:36 And the remaining fourteen thousand five hundred dollars would be going into the pockets of these Western multinational corporations

02:41 that run hotels out there. Second, the minister and both the ministers in question,

02:48 despite being Maldivians, didn't even seem to know the difference between scuba diving and snorkeling and the gear required.

02:55 So there's really appalling lack of knowledge of the tourism industry and of tourism itself and of diving itself.

03:04 Now, you know, it's like saying how can somebody in the Maldives not know the difference between scuba diving and snorkeling?

03:12 In India, it's still fine. But in the Maldives, really? And how are these people even ministers?

03:17 Fourth, the question is, why is the Indian High Commission even taken this up?

03:22 This should have been dealt with proactively.

03:24 It's absolutely deplorable, the comments which are coming out from sections of Maldives.

03:30 Also, let's remember, it's not everyone in Maldives is criticizing India. There is one section which is anti-India,

03:37 which seems to be and which is passing such remarks. It's absolutely deplorable and absolutely, of course,

03:43 see, India not only helps the economy of Maldives through our tourism, right?

03:49 We also provide them security. If you remember way back in 1988,

03:53 there was a coup in Maldives where India sent its forces and within hours, the coup was stopped.

04:01 So, for the national security of Maldives, India is the neighbor right across,

04:05 as well as there have been times when there was acute water shortage in Maldives.

04:10 You know, even being an island, drinking water is a problem.

04:15 So, there was an acute shortage and India sent, you know, our aircrafts and our navy with bottled water.

04:21 So, for leaders, leadership people in Maldives to pass such comments on India is, I think, absolutely uncalled for.

04:29 Dignity and national dignity first and towards that what Akshay Kumar is saying,

04:33 I think the next holiday Akshay Kumar should take should be in Lakshadweep, right?

04:37 See, the destinations get prominence, come to be known and more tourists follow

04:42 if the destination is branded and marketed well and there's a good infrastructure.

04:47 So, as more and more influencers from India, you know, leading names start visiting Lakshadweep,

04:53 the tourism sector and tourism economy of Lakshadweep and this has nothing to do with Maldives.

04:59 We should be promoting our own, you know, destination and our own tourism economy.

05:04 India has so much of a diversity all across the nation, right?

05:07 From mountains and rivers to snows and deserts and beaches.

05:11 So, if more of our celebrities, influencers like Akshay Kumar start visiting such locations,

05:17 that will definitely boost our own economy and I would say that let us not even think about Maldives,

05:22 that you're promoting Lakshadweep for Lakshadweep.

05:26 In diplomacy, it's important to not to aggravate anything with tit for tat.

05:35 You know what I mean.

05:36 We can comfortably ignore this statement.

05:41 That's one thing.

05:43 Second thing is we have to understand why he said it and that is in the larger context.

05:50 That is, after the new president came into office in Maldives, there was a demand made

05:59 that India should withdraw the military force it has.

06:05 It's a tiny military force.

06:07 When you say military force, I don't know, 70 or 70 plus.

06:14 And that too, mainly helicopters.

06:18 For what?

06:20 Medical emergencies.

06:23 Because Maldives doesn't have enough hospital capacity for serious medical emergencies for

06:33 its population or for that matter, for the large number of tourists.

06:40 Of course, there is also coastal waters, you know, the arrangement to do a surveillance.

06:52 So all this was agreed into when there was another government in Maldives.

06:59 So my view is that, I'm not privy to all the facts because I'm not in the government.

07:06 My view is that it is better for us to engage with Maldives and sort of, you know, withdraw

07:16 the forces in a particular manner rather than insist, you know, that we won't withdraw.

07:26 Because now the Maldives president is going first to China.

07:32 You know, we have to think of the consequences of our action or inaction.

07:39 Another thing is that if we withdraw the helicopters primarily doing emergency medical operations,

07:48 well, what about if you are a foreign tourist?

07:53 Would you go to Maldives?

07:56 If you are not sure that you can get emergency medical aid?

08:01 You know what I mean.

08:02 So there again, I would say that Maldives, India should propose to Maldives.

08:08 Well, we'll arrange for a private Indian company to do it for you.

08:15 So that, you know, there is no impact on your tourism.

08:22 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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