In an apparent dig at India amid diplomatic row over Maldivian ministers’ disparaging remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday said that Male can’t be bullied.

Addressing a press conference at the Velana International Airport upon his return to Maldives from a five-day China visit, Muizzu said, “We may be small but this doesn’t give them the license to bully us.”

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The Maldivian leader further asserted that the Indian Ocean doesn’t belong to any “specific country” and that Maldives is one of the countries with “the biggest share.”

“Though we have small islands in this ocean, we have a vast exclusive economic zone of 900,000 square kilometers. Maldives is one of the countries with the biggest share of this ocean,” he was quoted as saying by a local daily.

“We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the license to bully us,” says Maldives President @MMuizzu in an apparent reference to India.#MaldivesRow pic.twitter.com/VlZga4tuNz

— Shashikant Sharma (@MarwariPatrakar) January 13, 2024

“This ocean does not belong to a specific country. This ocean also belongs to all countries situated in it,” he added.

His remarks are seen as an indirect attack on India and comes amid a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Male over anti-Modi remarks by some of his ministers.

The row erupted last week when three junior ministers in Muizzu government used derogatory language against the Indian PM over his recent visit to Lakshadweep.

Following their remarks, India summoned Maldives High Commissioner Ibrahim Shaheeb to the foreign office and lodged a strong protest over the issue.

Reacting to the row, Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer said the remarks against foreign leaders are “unacceptable” and that they do not reflect the official position of the Maldives government.

He stated that Maldives remains committed to fostering a “positive and constructive dialogue” with all its partners, particularly its neighbours.