Maldives leader says his country’s small size isn’t a license to bully in apparent swipe at India

MALE, Maldives (AP) — The president of the Maldives says that his country’s small size doesn’t give anyone the license to bully it, in a sign of defiance toward India, the archipelago state’s giant neighbor. President Mohamed Muizzu, speaking to the media on his return from India’s regional rival China, said the Indian Ocean does not belong to a single country — a reference to a recent tiff between the Maldives and India. The dispute started with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posting photos showing him snorkeling in the Indian archipelago of Lakshadweep, which his government believes has an untapped potential for tourism. Some Maldivians saw it as an attempt to draw visitors away from the country’s sandy white beaches.