The Taj Suheli is set to feature 110 rooms, including 60 beach villas and 50 water villas, while Taj Kadmat will offer 110 rooms, consisting of 75 beach villas and 35 water villas.
In a major move to bolster tourism and the local economy, Tata Group’s hospitality arm, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), has announced its plan to develop two Taj-branded resorts on the islands of Suheli and Kadmat in Lakshadweep, India’s smallest union territory. The venture, according to reports, is a testament to the group’s commitment to sustainable development and eco-tourism. “The Greenfield projects are slated to open in 2026, and will be developed by IHCL,” the company said.
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This comes at a time when Lakshadweep is being promoted as a prime vacation destination for the Indian tourists, amid the strained relations between India and Maldives. Lakshadweep suddenly came into the spotlight after PM Modi shared the pictures of the islands and pitched them as a tourist destination.
“We see significant potential in Lakshadweep, with its pristine beaches and coral reefs set amongst the Arabian Sea,” IHCL MD and CEO Puneet Chhatwal said while announcing the signing of resorts last year. “The two world-class Taj resorts will attract international as well as national travellers,” he added according to Business Today.
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Details about Taj resorts
The Taj Suheli is set to feature 110 rooms, including 60 beach villas and 50 water villas, while Taj Kadmat will offer 110 rooms, consisting of 75 beach villas and 35 water villas.
Lakshadweep, an archipelago in the Arabian Sea, is known for its scenic beauty with exotic beaches, coral reefs, and lagoons. “It is a haven for water sports including scuba diving, windsurfing, snorkelling, surfing, water skiing, and yachting,” the company said.
IHCL, which is India’s largest hospitality company, said that the signing reflects its commitment to innovation and its pioneering spirit that has put destinations like Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa, and Andamans on the global tourist map.
Modi’s Lakshadweep’s visit
During his visit to Lakshadweep on January 2, the PM Modi had said the Union Territory was “full of many possibilities” and had asserted the Union government was “working with full commitment for the development of the entire Lakshadweep, including Agatti.” Several photographs and videos the PM shared with netizens highlighting the pristine beauty of the island drew immense praise.
“For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list. During my stay, I also tried snorkelling – what an exhilarating experience it was,” he wrote.
Incidentally, three deputy ministers of Maldives used disparaging comments against Modi for his post on ‘X’ following his visit to Lakshadweep, inferring it was an attempt to project the Union Territory as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.
Deputy ministers in the Maldives government’s youth ministry, Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, have been suspended over their posts, as per media reports from that nation.
