
On Tuesday, Israel declared its initiation of the desalination program in Lakshadweep, a move anticipated to enhance tourism in the Indian archipelago. The announcement was made via the Israeli embassy’s social media post on X, stating that they had been in Lakshadweep the previous year at the request of the federal government to commence the desalination initiative.
The embassy conveyed Israel’s readiness to commence work on the project immediately, accompanied by picturesque images of the pristine beaches in Lakshadweep. In their social media post, they invited those who have not yet experienced the captivating underwater beauty of lakshadweepislands to explore the enchanting allure through the shared photographs.
This development coincides with ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and the Maldives. The discord arose from derogatory remarks made by some ministers in the Mohamed Muizzu government against Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his visit to Lakshadweep. The ministers implied that Modi’s social media post on ‘X’ aimed to promote the Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
As the controversy unfolded, celebrities on X encouraged people to consider domestic tourist destinations over the Maldives. The Muizzu government distanced itself from the ministers’ remarks, deeming them as personal views, and suspended the ministers to mitigate damage to bilateral ties. Dissatisfied with the suspension, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Maldivian envoy, urging the dismissal of the three ministers.
Meanwhile, Google searches for Lakshadweep have surged to their highest levels in the past two decades, indicating a significant spike. MakeMyTrip reported a remarkable 3,400 per cent increase in on-platform searches for Lakshadweep since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the islands. In response, MakeMyTrip announced a ‘Beaches of India’ campaign on their platform, offering discounts and incentives to encourage Indian travelers to explore the country’s stunning beaches.