India pushes for tourism to remote Lakshadweep Islands but climate concerns loom large

As India pitches Lakshadweep as a domestic alternative to the Maldives, environmentalists are concerned that hasty development could harm the islands’ crucial ecosystem. Stuti Mishra reports

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi snorkelling in Lakshadweep (Narendra Modi/X)

India has set its sights on the untapped tourism potential of a secluded and ecologically fragile archipelago, a move that has led to a brewing diplomatic stand-off with the Maldives and left conservationists concerned.

Lakshadweep, a group of 36 islands just one to two metres above sea level, has until now largely been a hidden gem in the Indian Ocean, hosting a unique mosaic of coral islands and atolls renowned for their pristine white sand beaches and beautiful but fragile ecosystems.

The island chain has avoided the hustle and bustle of mass tourism due to its remoteness and lack of connectivity – something that has only benefited its diverse corals, sea turtles and lagoons. One in seven of the 60,000 residents of the islands are fishermen.