'Boycott Turkey' campaign launched in India over its support to Pakistan

India has seen growing calls to boycott Turkey for its support for Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir led to a stand-off between the two nuclear-armed neighboring countries. 

The growing social media movement to ‘Boycott Turkey’ is having a tangible impact on Indian businesses with a surge in travel cancellations and backlash against Turkish imports such as apples, jewellery and marble

The campaign stems from Ankara’s vocal support for Pakistan and its criticism of India’s recent cross-border military strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor.’

Tensions escalated after it emerged that Pakistan had deployed Turkish drones extensively during its military confrontation with India.

Turkey had openly supported Pakistan after India launched air strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Turkey, interestingly, a member of NATO, has been selling military hardware to Pakistan, among other countries.

In a strong response, over 125 leading Indian trade representatives have pledged to sever all commercial ties with Turkey.

Among the repercussions are trip cancellations, suspension of institutional partnerships, and the revocation of Celebi Aviation’s license.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the security division of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, cancelled the license of Turkish firm Celebi Aviation on Thursday. The company offers ground handling services at nine major airports across India.

Travel platforms, including EaseMyTrip, Cox & Kings, Ixigo, have halted their bookings to Turkey. Fruit traders have started boycotting Turkish goods.

"Turkey supplied drones to Pakistan, which were used in attacks against India. That’s why we’ve decided to stop selling Turkish fruits,”  Shadab Khan, a local fruit trader, was quoted by local India media as saying.

Film industry bodies like Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) have declared a boycott on shooting locations in Turkey for its support to Pakistan during the conflict with India.

“In view of recent developments and Turkey’s consistent positioning in support of Pakistan, which has raised concerns regarding national integrity and security, we believe it is not in the best interests of the Indian film industry to invest or collaborate in any form that could indirectly support or benefit such a nation,” the statement states.

RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka, in a social media post on Wednesday, urged Indian tourists not to travel to Turkey amid the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and several other prominent educational centers have announced the suspension of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Inonu University, Turkey, citing national security considerations

India’s relations with Turkey have sharply deteriorated following Ankara’s vocal support for Pakistan amid the recent India-Pakistan conflict. Turkey condemned India’s 'Operation Sindoor' and described it as “unprovoked aggression,” drawing strong criticism from Delhi.

India-Pakistan ceasefire brings respite to Kashmir, but the calm is laced with fear

News of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, following days of cross-border attacks, was met with celebrations in the Himalayan valley of Kashmir, which bore the brunt of the violence.

Ankara condemned India’s retaliatory strikes as “provocative” and called for an impartial investigation into the incident, aligning closely with Islamabad’s position.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly expressed solidarity with Pakistan, describing the victims of Indian military actions as “martyrs” and reinforcing Turkey’s commitment to Pakistan’s cause.

According to available data, from April 2024 to February 2025, India’s exports to Turkey stood at USD 5.2 billion, compared to USD 6.65 billion in 2023–24. During the same period, imports from Turkey were valued at USD 2.84 billion, lower than USD 3.78 billion in 2023–24.

Turkey's total tourism revenue reached $61.1 billion, with Indian tourists contributing an estimated $291.6 million based on an average spend of $972 per visitor.

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