Is Lakshadweep Happy with Its Rising Profile?

Weighing National Ambitions Against Local Concerns

Newsreel Asia Insight #99
Jan. 10, 2024

India’s strategic push to transform Lakshadweep into a major tourist destination, in response to the Maldives’ political posturing and derogatory comments against Indian leadership, has ignited a complex debate. This initiative, while showcasing India’s regional assertiveness, raises concerns about the local community’s cultural identity and environmental sustainability.

Let’s first examine recent developments in the India-Maldives relations.

The new Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, soon after his election in November 2023, which was marked by an anti-India rhetoric, appeared to diverge from traditional diplomatic practices, as noted by NDTV. While most of his predecessors chose to make their first official visit to India, Muizzu chose Turkey for his first trip abroad. He also expressed a desire to remove Indian military personnel from the Maldives, who operate radar stations and surveillance aircraft. Further, Muizzu showed disinterest in renewing contracts for existing infrastructure projects.

The relationship deteriorated further after three junior Maldivian ministers made derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reacting to his visit to Lakshadweep, India’s smallest Union territory situated in the Laccadive Sea, off the coast of Kerala. Modi’s social media posts showcasing Lakshadweep’s beaches sparked significant travel interest, prompting the Maldivian ministers to mockingly dismiss India’s potential to rival Maldives in tourism.

Lakshadweep, known for its idyllic beaches and rich coral reefs, was thus thrust into the limelight, not just as a potential tourist haven but as a focal point of India’s apparent geopolitical stance.

The Indian government wants to enhance Lakshadweep’s infrastructure and tourism capabilities. However, this appears more as a reaction stemming from bruised national pride rather than a well-thought-out geopolitical strategy. The rapid push for development, including the construction of new airports and promotion of tourism, seems to overshadow critical local and environmental concerns.

The local population of Lakshadweep, predominantly Muslim, has expressed apprehension regarding the recent changes, according to The Telegraph, which says that reforms introduced by the administrator of Lakshadweep, Praful Khoda Patel, have been perceived as intrusive, affecting everything from dietary habits to educational systems.

These changes include exclusion of beef from school midday meals and a ban on cow slaughter (beef was later restored to the midday meal menu following a Supreme Court order); introduction of an anti-goonda law, which provides a range of sweeping powers to the administrator including allowing for the detention of a person for up to a year “with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order” perceived as a tactic against dissenters, as per LiveLaw;  a push for lifting prohibition on the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages; shutting down local dairy farms, allegedly favouring Amul; retrenchment of about 3,500 government employees; and replacement of the Kerala board syllabus in schools with the CBSE curriculum.

Environmentalists, too, have raised alarms, as reported by Hindustan Times.

The fragile coral ecosystems of Lakshadweep are at risk due to increased tourist footfall and infrastructure development. The decline in coral cover, from over 50% to a mere 11% in two decades, is a worrying indicator of environmental neglect.

The pursuit of development, especially in a geopolitically significant region, is a legitimate aim for any nation. However, when such development disregards the socio-cultural fabric and environmental health of the region, it raises critical questions. Is the government’s approach in Lakshadweep a case of prioritising national ego and whims over the genuine needs and concerns of its own people and their environment?

It suggests a policy approach that is reactive, rather than proactive, driven more by immediate political considerations than by a long-term vision for the region’s holistic development.