After Maldives travel ban, Israel kicks off 'look India' policy

After Maldives—the world’s most sought-after destination for beach holidays—recently banned Israelis from visiting given the Jewish nation's attacks in Gaza, Israel has asked its citizens to head to Indian beaches instead.

The Maldivian Cabinet's decision to tweak laws to enforce a ban on Israeli citizens came after pressure from opposition parties and government on the Maldives' president Mohamed Muizzu, who had condemned the Israeli airstrike on a camp in Rafah that killed 45 people on May 26. 

The Embassy of Israel in India has shared pictures of famous Indian beaches from Goa to Kerala, saying that “these amazing beaches welcome Israelis with utmost hospitality.”

“Since the Maldives is no longer welcoming Israelis, here are some beautiful and amazing Indian beaches where Israeli tourists are warmly welcomed and treated with the utmost hospitality," the embassy said in a post on X and while sharing a list of recommendations.

The posts also mentioned the picturesque beaches of Lakshadweep, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands as alternative tourist destinations to the Maldives.

Notably, a political row erupted between India and Maldives earlier this year over the removal of Indian troops from the Muslim-majority island nation, following which Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited to Lakshadweep to give Indian travelers a glimpse of possible alternatives to holidaying in the Maldives. 

Three Maldivian ministers had made derogatory comments about PM Modi's Lakshadweep visit, remarking that Modi was attempting to promote Lakshadweep as a popular tourist destination.

The Maldives previously lifted a ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and made efforts to normalize relations in 2010. However, these attempts were hindered after the ouster of former President Mohammed Nasheed in Feb 2012.

According to the official data by the Maldives government, a total of 528 Israeli nationals visited the country in the first four months of 2024, a significant drop from 4,644 during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, Israel has been receiving severe backlash from a few countries, including Turkey which imposed a ban on the import and export of goods to and from Israel, a month ago.

The ban forced Israel to buy more expensive concrete in Europe. Israel imports 40% of its concrete from Turkey.