Yoga as Soft Power: India Flexes Muscle in the Maldives
Two years after protesters attacked and vandalised a yoga day celebration in the Maldivian capital, Male, the Indian Mission organised the event successfully in the archipelago nation in the open, to mark International Yoga Day on June 21.
This time the Indian Mission took care to cater to the sensitivity in the Sunni Islamic nation—it moved the programme to a resort. The icing on the cake was that the Mission managed to persuade the President Mohamed Muizzu government to send a Minister to the event. Many in Muizzu's party, the People's National Congress (PNC), had demanded a stop to events such as yoga day, which, in their view, was against Islamic culture.
'ICC [the Indian Cultural Centre–Maldives], under High Commission of India, coordinated #IDY2025 celebrations at Taj Resort, with 500+ yoga lovers, diplomats, locals and diaspora,' a post on social media platform X by the Cultural Centre said. 'ICC teacher demonstrated common yoga protocol & the event was graced by HE Ibrahim Amir [Maldivian Minister] and HC [High Commissioner] Mr. Balasubramanian.'
Last year, the Indian High Commission celebrated the day at its premises. The Mission's post said: '10th International Day of Yoga celebrated at the High Commission of India in the Maldives. Event witnessed participation of Maldivian & Indian Yoga enthusiasts.' The Indian Cultural Centre, Maldives, in a post on social media platform X, conveyed its 'heartfelt gratitude to Maldivian friends for gracing the event'. Last year, no Maldivian Minister was part of the event.
Also Read | Why Maldives is strengthening ties with Islamic nations and China
Naturally, there was negligible reaction from the section of Maldivians opposed to India holding a yoga day event in the Maldives. Hussain Shafiu, founder of the software company, HIS studios, commented that this was because 'it was done inside and people didn't even hear about it happening. That's why the difference in public reaction.'
In fact, the 2025 Yoga Day was the biggest in the country, ever since the Indian government began pushing for massive shows after the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government assumed office for the first time, in 2014. One X user, a Maldivian citizen, noted: 'The Indian Embassy organised the biggest yoga event in the Maldives at Taj Maldives. Through this event, the Indian government showed that they can do whatever they want in the Maldives, including influencing local Muslims.'
So far, no one has been tried for the 2022 disruption in Maldives, though 38 persons were arrested soon after the attack. The arrested included two religious personalities and a politician, who is now a lawmaker. The politician tried to later distance himself from the violence.
The government is not keen on pursuing cases against the 38 persons. 'Following a review of the incident, the Prosecutor General's Office announced last Tuesday that it will only pursue charges against individuals with clear evidence of direct involvement in the violence or acts of intimidation during the June 21, 2022, event,' news website MV+ media reported on June 21. The 2022 disruptors were charged with terrorism, among other sections—a charge which was difficult to prove. The then ruling party, the MDP, had gone overboard to please India.
Events that followed the 2022 attack have confirmed that it was a political project, to give momentum to those opposed to the then ruling party, the MDP. The fillip that this disruption gave formed the basis of the 'India Out' campaign. Till then, the campaign, which was against Indian armed forces personnel stationed in the Maldives, did not have a visible symbol because the personnel were stationed away from public gaze.
Also Read | India-Maldives row: Is social media driving foreign policy?
The yoga day provided a symbol of Indian imposition. The 2022 yoga campaign was organised in the capital Male's biggest stadium, the Galolhu National Stadium. The disruptors claimed that this was cultural imposition through yoga. This theme became relatable to the Maldivians—more than a third of the nearly 5.26 lakh population reside in the capital city. The campaign, India's tone-deafness to the cultural anxiety of the Maldivians, and the Maldivian Democratic Party government's reluctance to forcefully take up the issue with the Indian government, were partly responsible for Muizzu being propelled to power.
The June 2025 yoga day conveys to Maldivians a new geopolitical reality—that India is a reality and it cannot be wished away. India had extended currency swap facility to the financially beleaguered nation as well as provided it aid and budgetary support. 'The warming ties were evident at this year's yoga day. State Minister for Sports' presence at the Taj Maldives Resort signalled official endorsement, a far cry from the chaos of three years ago,' noted the news and perspectives website, etruthmv.
But not everyone accepts this reality. The Religious Scholars Association has condemned the event, the Maldives Insight website reported. 'Referencing the yoga-related unrest in 2022, the statement emphasised that the incident demonstrated how yoga poses a significant threat to national unity in the Maldives,' it said and added that the current government officials were opposed to yoga when they were not in power.
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