Turkish Products, Services Face Boycott In India Over Ankara’s Backing Of Pak

Photo: ANI

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – India’s economic and social backlash against Turkey is intensifying after Ankara’s public support for Pakistan during the recent military conflict with India. The boycott has spread across multiple sectors including aviation, tourism, trade, education, and retail, reflecting strong public sentiment and coordinated efforts from traders, consumers, and institutions nationwide.

Travel and tourism have been among the hardest hit. Popular budget destinations like Turkey and Azerbaijan—both Muslim-majority countries that voiced support for Pakistan—are seeing steep declines in Indian tourist numbers. MakeMyTrip reported a 60% drop in flight bookings to these countries within a single week, with cancellations soaring by 250%. Leading travel platforms such as EaseMyTrip, MakeMyTrip, and Ixigo have responded by suspending bookings, halting promotions, and issuing advisories against non-essential travel.

The aviation sector is also feeling the impact. On May 15, India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revoked the security clearance for Celebi, a Turkish ground handling and cargo services provider operating at nine major airports. Most of these airports have since severed ties with Celebi. Additionally, Air India has urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to block a leasing agreement between rival IndiGo and Turkish Airlines, citing both security and commercial concerns.

Trade bodies and distributors are leading calls for a comprehensive boycott of Turkish goods. The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation, representing 4.5 lakh FMCG distributors, has urged a ban on a wide array of Turkish products including chocolates, wafers, jams, syrups, tea, coffee, cookies, cakes, packaged sweets, as well as personal care items like body washes, wet wipes, cosmetics, and skincare products. Retail giants Flipkart-owned Myntra and Reliance-owned Ajio have reportedly stopped selling apparel from Turkish brands such as Trendyol.

Turkish agricultural imports are also being targeted. Traders and consumers across India have begun rejecting Turkish fruits, especially apples. In Haridwar, customers have openly called for a total boycott of Turkish fruits, and farmers in Himachal Pradesh have demanded the government impose up to 100% import duties on Turkish apples to protect domestic growers.

The educational sector is not exempt. Several prestigious institutions, including IIT Bombay, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Chandigarh University, and Lovely Professional University, have suspended or cut ties with Turkish universities and organizations in response to the ongoing situation.

At a national trade conference organized by the Confederation of All India Traders in New Delhi, over 125 trade leaders agreed to cease business dealings with Turkey and Azerbaijan, signaling a unified stance from India’s commercial community.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a vocal advocate for a “multilateral” approach to the Kashmir dispute—a position India strongly opposes. Erdogan’s recent visit to Pakistan in February, aimed at strengthening trade and military ties, further fueled Indian concerns and public anger.

India’s trade with Turkey remains substantial despite the current tensions. Between April 2024 and February 2025, India exported $5.2 billion worth of goods to Turkey, including mineral fuels, electrical machinery, automotive parts, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and cotton. Imports from Turkey during the same period totaled $2.84 billion and included marble, fruits like apples, gold, precious metals, and petroleum products.