Israel to start desalination program in Lakshadweep; shares pics amid India-Maldives row
Many celebrities have urged citizens to explore domestic tourist destinations like Lakshadweep instead of going to the Maldives.
Israel has announced that it will start the desalination program in Lakshadweep on Tuesday, a move that could further boost tourism in the Indian archipelago amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Maldives.
The Israeli embassy in a social media post on X said, “We were in #Lakshadweep last year upon the federal government's request to initiate the desalination program.”
“Israel is ready to commence working on this project tomorrow,” it added.
Sharing the photographs of the pristine Indian beaches in Lakshadweep, the embassy said, “For those who are yet to witness the pristine and majestic underwater beauty of #lakshadweepislands, here are a few pictures showing this island's enchanting allure.”
The announcement comes against the backdrop of brewing diplomatic tensions between India and the Maldives over disparaging remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by some ministers in the Mohamed Muizzu government.
The ministers criticised Modi for his post on 'X' following his visit to Lakshadweep, inferring that it was an attempt to project the Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
The row escalated as many celebrities urged people on X to explore domestic tourist destinations instead of going to the Maldives.
The Muizzu government quickly distanced itself from the minister's remarks, calling it their personal view, and suspended them in an attempt to control the damage to the bilateral ties. However, the ministry of external affairs, not satisfied with mere suspension, summoned the Maldivian envoy and called for the dismissal of the three ministers.
Meanwhile, Google searches for Lakshadweep are at their highest in the last 20 years, that too by a huge margin reflecting a hockey stick graph. MakeMyTrip on Monday said it has observed a 3,400 per cent increase in on-platform searches for Lakshadweep ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the islands.
"We have observed a 3400 per cent increase in on-platform searches for Lakshadweep ever since Honorable PM's visit. This interest in Indian beaches has inspired us to launch a 'Beaches of India' campaign on the platform with offers and discounts to encourage Indian travellers to explore country's stunning beaches. Keep watching this space!," MakeMyTrip said in a post on social media platform X.
