By India summoned the high commissioner of Maldives after a row broke out over derogatory posts made by three officials about PM Narendra Modi.
The deputy ministers, who have been suspended, called Mr Modi a “clown,” a “terrorist,” and a “puppet of Israel.”.
A foreign ministry spokesperson said the comments were personal and did not represent the views of the government.
Male’s response came after the remarks set off an uproar and boycott calls on Indian social media.
“All government officials responsible for the comments have been suspended from their posts effective immediately,” a spokesperson for President Mohamed Muizzu’s office told the BBC
The Maldives suspended three of its deputy ministers for posting derogatory comments about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the remarks triggered a diplomatic row and tourism boycott by its powerful South Asian neighbour.
One of India’s largest travel platforms suspended flight bookings to the tourism-dependent Maldives on Monday after disparaging social media posts against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embittered relations between the South Asian neighbours.
India and Russia send the largest number of visitors to the Maldives, a chain of sun-kissed islands in the Indian Ocean that is home to many luxury resorts. Tourism accounts for almost one-third of its economy, according to the World Bank.
