India’s Ministry of External Affairs has described reports of India reducing the quota of staple goods to Maldives as “misleading”.

A media briefing issued by the ministry’s spokesperson on Monday said that these reports “are misleading” and that India remains “firmly committed to strong people to people ties” between both countries.

“As highlighted in the recent notification by the Director General of Foreign Trade, the requirements are calculated based on actual utilisation in recent past and is consistent with the mechanism of the trade agreement signed between India and Maldives in 1981,” said the press release.

According to the 1981 agreement between India and Maldives, the Indian government “having regard to the fact that it has traditionally been supplying certain essential commodities to the Maldives, has agreed to facilitate supply to the Maldives of specified quantities of commodities, to be determined bilaterally”.

Further noting that India “remains firmly committed to strong people to people ties between two countries”, the ministry said that India will always “ensure that people of Maldives do not have to endure any hardships”.

India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry Department of Commerce issued a notification last week, lowering the limits on the export of certain essential commodities such as potatoes, onions, and eggs to the Maldives.

The change comes amid souring ties between both countries, with increasing reports of Indian nationals being denied visas to Maldives.

The reasons for the tense relations include China’s growing influence in the archipelago nation, as well as India’s continued criticism of the current administration and its activities.