A storm is brewing over the picturesque Lakshadweep islands off India’s western coast.
The islands' indigenous population is accusing a new administrator appointed by the Indian government of acting against their traditions and interests.
Since taking office in December, Praful Khoda Patel has closed dairies, demolished fishermen's huts on the shore, banned meat from school meals and reversed a nearly 50-year ban on alcohol licences on the islands, where 97 per cent of the 70,000 inhabitants are Muslim.
But it is his proposed law to enable the archipelago, with its white-sand beaches, coral atolls and 97 per cent green cover, to be turned into an international tourist destination like the Maldives that has raised the greatest concern.
The Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021, which is awaiting approval from the federal government, will give the administration sweeping powers to acquire land for infrastructure projects, even without the owner’s consent.
The inhabitants of Lakshadweep, who live on 10 of its 36 islands, fear they could be evicted from their ancestral land on the pretext of development.
One section of the legislation requires landowners to declare the use of their property every three years or else face penalties of about $3,000.
“These laws are an onslaught on our culture, food habits, land rights and employment. This is our forefathers’ land and he wants us to apply for permission to live here,” said P Pookunhi Koya, a former member of parliament for the islands and convener of the Save Lakshadweep Forum.
We have a history of living here since 1500 BC and they are trying to eliminate us from the islands
"Nearly 4,000 people are out of work … [Mr Patel] has closed down animal husbandry without any compensation, razed boats and shacks of fishermen, increased stamp duty charges eight-fold and snatched whatever little powers the village councillors had," Dr Koya told The National.
Residents observed a "black day" on Monday as Mr Patel arrived for a week-long visit. Dressed in all black, they held up banners demanding his dismissal.
Mr Patel said he was there to review the "status of various ongoing development projects".
More than three dozen people have been arrested in recent weeks during protests against Mr Patel. Last week, thousands of residents organised a 12-hour hunger strike and an underwater protest with divers holding placards that read "Save Lakshadweep" and "Remove Patel".
The official's decision in January to lift the quarantine rule for visitors was followed by the first Covid-19 infections on the islands since the pandemic began. There have been more than 9,000 cases and 43 deaths since then.
As one of India’s nine Union Territories, Lakshadweep is governed directly by the federal government in New Delhi, unlike the 28 states which have locally elected administrations. The territories are run either by federally appointed administrators or locally elected governments with limited powers.
Although unelected, administrators have total control of a territory and its people. They can draft new laws that require approval only from the federal government to take effect.
Lakshadweep’s previous administrators have been technocrats or bureaucrats, whereas Mr Patel is a career politician with close ties to the prime minister.
He served as home minister of Gujarat when Mr Modi led the state’s government. Two years after Mr Modi was elected prime minister in 2014, he appointed Mr Patel as the administrator of Daman and Diu, and later that year of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, another union territory.
Mr Patel was given the additional charge of Lakshadweep after the previous administrator died of an illness.
Since taking charge, Mr Patel has also proposed a law to criminalise cow slaughter and beef consumption, a policy promoted by Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. According to a report by the National Statistical Office in 2012, more than 65 per cent of the islanders eat beef.
He has also drafted a law barring anyone with more than two children from holding seats on the islands’ village councils. Another law includes a jail term of up to one year without trial for “antisocial activities”, in a region that recorded just 89 cases of petty crime last year.
"These draconian, unilateral regulations are an attempt to invade our culture and commit atrocities against the indigenous inhabitants of the island," Muneer Manikfaan, vice president of the village council on Minicoy island, told The National.
“We have a history of living here since 1500 BC and they are trying to eliminate us from the islands."
Mr Patel said that developing the islands into a tourist attraction like the Maldives will improve the lives of locals.
“The draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation will usher in development and go a long way in improving the social and economic indicators on the islands, which have so far lagged behind despite having the potential,” he told an Indian media outlet in May.
“The islands are similar to the Maldives and we want to develop them on similar lines. We want to develop sustainable infrastructure and promote sustainable tourism,” he said.
“You see the Maldives ... tourists are waiting in a queue to visit there.”
But residents fear the sudden interest in the region is driven by crony capitalism and religious motives.
“We have never experienced such a situation before,” Dr Manikfaan said. “They have their business and political interests and communal agendas.”
Mr Patel's actions have also caused outrage among activists and politicians on the mainland.
Members of the ruling Communist Party alliance in Kerala’s state assembly passed a resolution last month calling for Mr Patel’s removal.
Rahul Gandhi, leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, expressed support for the islanders.
“Lakshadweep is India’s jewel in the ocean. The ignorant bigots in power are destroying it. I stand with the people of Lakshadweep,” he wrote on Twitter.
Wajahat Habibullah, a former administrator of Lakshadweep, said the new regulations were a complete contradiction of development norms determined over decades.
He is one of a group of 93 former bureaucrats who have urged Mr Modi to reject Mr Patel’s draft laws, saying they “constitute an onslaught on the very fabric of Lakshadweep society, economy and landscape.”
"With a fragile coral ecology, the island territories needed a distinct approach to the entire concept of their development," Mr Habibullah told The National.
“The current administrator only holds additional charge of this union territory and is only an occasional visitor. The regulations also demonstrate that he has little understanding of the development needs of the islands,” he said.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS
Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm
Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km
Five expert hiking tips
- Always check the weather forecast before setting off
- Make sure you have plenty of water
- Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
- Take your litter home with you
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if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.