Turkey’s Stance on Pakistan Backfires, Leading to Boycott Calls in India

Turkey’s decision to side with Pakistan against India’s “Operation Sindoor” has come back to haunt it. Instead of strengthening its position, Turkey has found itself in an increasingly hostile situation. As a result, calls for a boycott of Turkish goods and services are gaining traction in India. People in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, have taken to the streets, protesting against Turkey. Posters calling for the boycott of Turkish products have been plastered in various places, and crowds have burned effigies, voicing their strong disapproval.

The resentment is rooted in several factors. One of the major points of anger is Turkey’s involvement in supplying drones that were allegedly used to target India. Additionally, Turkey’s public statements in support of Pakistan have further fueled the animosity. Indian citizens are also upset because, when Turkey was in trouble, it was not Pakistan but India that extended a helping hand first. Despite this, Turkey chose to stand by Pakistan, a country notorious for supporting terrorism.

Following Turkey’s stance in favor of Pakistan, hundreds of Indian tourists have canceled their travel plans to Turkey and Azerbaijan. India’s largest online travel agency, MakeMyTrip, reported a 250% increase in cancellations last week, along with a 60% drop in bookings to Azerbaijan and Turkey. As a result, the company has stopped all promotional activities for these two countries. The cancellations followed a travel advisory issued on May 9, which strongly recommended limiting travel to these nations unless absolutely necessary.

This growing trend of cancellations is likely to result in significant financial losses for Turkey, which previously garnered billions of rupees from tourism. However, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seems undeterred. He has reaffirmed his country’s support for Pakistan, stating that they are not concerned with the consequences of this stance. Erdoğan, a leader often criticized for mismanaging Turkey’s economy, seems to be unwavering in his support for Pakistan, even as the backlash grows.

Erdoğan recently described Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as his “precious brother” and reiterated Turkey’s commitment to stand by Pakistan. Before this, Sharif had posted on social media thanking Turkey’s leaders for their “strong support and unshakable solidarity” with Pakistan and for maintaining “fraternal relations” between the two countries.

This ongoing diplomatic rift highlights the deepening divide between Turkey and India, which is having a tangible impact on tourism and business relations.

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