Indian businesses, universities and consumers are cutting ties with Turkey after Ankara voiced support for Pakistan during recent border tensions, sparking a widespread boycott movement, according to media reports.
The backlash followed remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his foreign ministry expressing concern over India’s airstrikes in Kashmir and warning of a broader conflict.
Their comments came after Pakistan and India exchanged small arms fire across the Line of Control, the de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region, for several consecutive nights in late April. Cross-border fighting continued for four days before a ceasefire was declared.
Turkey’s response has triggered a surge of nationalist sentiment in India, with calls to boycott Turkish goods, services and partnerships.
E-commerce platforms including Flipkart’s Myntra and Reliance-owned AJIO have removed popular Turkish fashion brands such as Trendyol, LC Waikiki and Mavi. The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation, representing 13 million retailers, has urged its members to stop selling Turkish food and cosmetics, citing national interest, according to a Reuters report on Monday.
India’s aviation ministry also revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling firm Çelebi last week, which operates at nine Indian airports. The company has filed a legal challenge, saying the move will disrupt international operations.
Çelebi argues that since it is privately owned and not an organization controlled by the Turkish government, with global blue-chip investors holding a 65 per cent stake, it should be allowed to continue its operations irrespective of Ankara’s geopolitical affiliations.
Tourism has also been hit hard. Travel bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan fell 60 percent, while cancellations jumped 250 percent last week, according to Indian media reports. Travel agents including MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip have suspended package offerings to the region, according to a BBC report.
Academic institutions such as Jamia Millia Islamia University and Kota University have also announced a halt to collaboration with Turkish universities, citing political concerns.
The boycott is affecting trade in agriculture and construction materials. Indian farmers have welcomed the decline in Turkish apple imports, hoping for better local prices. In Udaipur, a hub for marble processing, traders have stopped importing Turkish marble, which previously made up 70 percent of the supply.
Although the Indian government has not officially endorsed the boycott, the pressure from civil society and business groups is mounting. Trade data show India imported roughly $234 million worth of Turkish food items and $81 million in apparel in 2024.
Turkey has not formally responded to the boycott. Relations between the two countries have long been strained, largely over differing positions on the Kashmir dispute.