PM Modi’s reply to Maldives President on Republic Day sparks discussion on Grok AI mistranslation on X

The routine exchange of Republic Day greetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu unexpectedly took social media by storm after an apparent AI mistranslation by Grok on X.

President Muizzu had wished India a happy Republic Day on 26 January. Prime Minister Modi responded with a standard diplomatic message, thanking him and expressing hope for continued cooperation between the two countries.

However, Grok’s auto-translate feature on X misinterpreted Modi’s answer. The AI-generated translation claimed that the Maldivian government had engaged in anti-India campaigns and that India’s Republic Day was “celebrated” in the Maldives – events that have not been reported anywhere.

The mistranslation quickly went viral, with many users sharing memes and jokes suggesting that Modi had “cooked” the Maldives diplomatically. Others marked the episode as a clear AI glitch, especially at a time when India-Maldives relations are showing signs of improvement.

Thank you, President Muizzu.
I welcome his warm greetings and good wishes on the occasion of India’s 77th Republic Day.

I will continue to work together for the benefit of the people of both countries. All the people of the country. https://t.co/Tzd0LhBHb6

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 27 January 2026

This error also surfaced in mixing India’s Republic Day with Independence Day, which further increased the confusion. No official statements or reports support the claims generated by AI translation.

The translation of the post read, “Thank you, President Muizzu. On the occasion of India’s 77th Republic Day, I accept with respect and honor your warm greetings and good wishes. We will continue to build on the work we are doing together for the benefit of the citizens of both our countries. I wish a future filled with happy and prosperous days for all citizens of the Maldives.”

People took to X to question X’s translation. A user posted a translation by Grok.

Modiji https://t.co/joiol2HBAq pic.twitter.com/C3W5yb2LRQ

– War and Gore (@Goreunit) 27 January 2026

Another user Shubhangi Sharma said, “What was said in X’s translation vs what PM Modi actually said to the President of Maldives. Why so terribly unbelievable?”