Ex-Foreign Minister calls ambassador's meeting 'fake', says it's a ploy to trick India

The Maldivian government is actively attempting to thwart misgivings with India by attempting to fool its leaders, said former Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem.

Naseem called the meeting Defence Minister Adam Shareef Umar had with Indian ambassador Akhilesh Mishra, about which the head of India’s mission himself tweeted, ‘fake’.

Naseem’s post said that the meeting is part of the government’s program to delude India.

Neither Defence Ministry nor the Indian embassy has released details of the meeting, but reports on local and Indian media say relations between both countries are tense.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has expressed concern over Maldives' free trade agreement with China.

The Indian media has also heavily covered an article that appeared on local news website Vaguthu, which was intently called India an 'enemy'.

However, the Indian External Affairs Minsitry's spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that his government will continue to provide support to Maldives, 'a longstanding ally'