India cuts ties with Turkey amid growing boycott calls over Pakistan row

India has officially suspended its ties with Turkey, following a wave of online outrage and growing calls to boycott the country over its support for Pakistan amid the recent Kashmir clashes. What initially began as social media posts urging Indian citizens to avoid travel to Turkey has now escalated into a full-blown diplomatic standoff.

The trigger came when Turkey publicly backed Pakistan after deadly skirmishes in the Kashmir region. In a direct response, India revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi, barring it from operating at major airports like Delhi and Mumbai. Celebi has denied any misconduct and plans to contest the decision, but India’s aviation ministry has justified the move as necessary for national security and in line with public sentiment. The Minister of State for Aviation stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the decision was made to "protect national interests."

The backlash hasn’t stopped at aviation. Leading Indian universities, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia, have suspended academic collaborations with Turkish institutions. Tensions further escalated online after unverified reports suggested that Turkish drones may have been deployed by Pakistan against Indian forces, prompting political figures like Rajeev Chandrasekhar to call for a boycott of countries perceived as supporting India’s adversaries.

The diplomatic rift has also hit the travel industry hard. According to MakeMyTrip, travel bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan have plummeted by 60%, while cancellations have surged by 250%. Tour operators are cutting back on packages to these destinations, wary of public backlash and potential revenue losses.

In 2024, over 330,000 Indian tourists visited Turkey—a modest number compared to its total international arrivals, but still a growing segment. Azerbaijan, which saw nearly 9% of its tourists coming from India, may feel the economic pinch more acutely. However, despite the boycott movement, alternative destinations have not yet seen a significant uptick, with travel platforms like Cleartrip reporting steady interest in other European locales such as Greece.