In the midst of a diplomatic spat with the Maldives, Congress leader Manish Tewari claimed on Monday that the island nation has now entered the Chinese "sphere of influence" and that a reality check is required. Taking to X, Congress MP stated: "Maldives is now in the Chinese sphere of influence. Sri Lanka has bent to the Chinese wind. China is gobbling up territory in Bhutan. China has accumulated disproportionate influence over the polity in Nepal."
"The Military Junta in Myanmar for decades has been beholden to the Communist Party of China (CPC). Pakistan is a client state of China. China has developed proximate ties to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Chinese economic influence in Bangladesh is also on the ascendant. What is India‘s influence in South Asia currently? Folks need to take a reality check!," he further stated.
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The Maldivian envoy to India was called to the foreign affairs ministry on Monday and expressed significant concerns over three now-suspended ministers' insulting social media tweets against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the reaction over the statements continued for the second day.
The Maldivian administration told Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar in Male that the statements against Modi do not reflect its views.
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Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna, and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, deputy ministers in the youth ministry, were suspended by President Mohamed Muizzu's administration on Sunday due to their positions.
The Maldivian president is in China for a week.