Maldivian tourism minister meets Shekhawat, seeks strengthening of ties

New Delhi: Maldivian Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal met his Indian counterpart Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday and said their discussions focused on "enhancing tourism collaboration" and strengthening India-Maldives ties.

Faisal also shared pictures of his meeting with the Union tourism minister in a post on X.

"Pleased to meet with Hon'ble Tourism Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today. Our discussions focused on enhancing tourism collaboration and strengthening the ties between our two nations. Together, we look forward to fostering mutual growth and enriching our tourism sectors," he said in the post.

Their meeting holds significance, coming months after a social media backlash in which many users had used the hashtag of "Boycott Maldives" in the wake of disparaging remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Maldives is one of India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region.