Public Opinion in India Turns Against Turkey Due to Interregional Conflicts
Due to Ankara’s overt backing of Pakistan in the recent India-Pakistan crisis, Indian public opinion has drastically shifted against Turkey in recent weeks. Trade and tourism challenges, international pressure, and widespread boycotts have all reflected this.
The Trigger: Operation Sindoor and Turkey’s Position
The immediate cause of this backlash was the support that Turkey extended to Pakistan when India launched Operation Sindoor, a military campaign in response to increased hostilities with Pakistan. Turkey is said to have provided Pakistan with more than 350 drones and military personnel, some of which were reportedly used in India-bound attacks. This was seen in India when a direct challenge to its national security and sovereignty.
Economic Boycotts and Trade Implications
A statewide boycott of Turkish goods has been advocated by Indian retailers in response. Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which has the support of more than 70 million merchants, declared the importation and sale of Turkish products to be stopped entirely. What the boycott is focused on includes dry fruits, apples, apparel, and electronics. Lucknow and Guwahati, for exmple, witnessed merchants pulling Turkish products off the shelves while patriotic motives and customer pressure had taken precedence.
The trade impact has been strong. India’s bilateral trade with Turkey, which was $10.43 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24, is predicted to decrease even more. Turkish exports to India, which have already reduced by more than 17% because of earlier diplomatic tensions, are probably to be further affected with the boycott increasing.
Tourism Takes a Hit
Tourism industry too has experienced the brunt. Indian travellers are calling off trips to Turkey in big numbers, even if it results in financial losses. In Kolkata alone, 1,500 bookings have been called off, with an estimated financial cost of Rs 60-75 crore to Turkey’s tourism industry. Travel agencies which include the Travel Agents’ Association of India (TAAI) and the Travel Agents’ Federation of India (TAFI) have further blacklisted Turkey, preventing the advertising of Turkish tourist attractions.
Diplomatic tensions and Legal Disputes
Diplomatic relations have further turned more acerbic with the withdrawal of security clearance by India from Celebi Airport Services India, a Turkish company conducting ground handling operations in major Indian airports. Nearly 7,800 employees were impacted when the Indian government shut down Celebi’s business for national security reasons. Celebi has filed a lawsuit against this action, arguing that the withdrawal violates investor confidence and is not properly warranted.
On the other hand, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs further delayed the newly appointed Turkish ambassador’s credentials ceremony, which marked the freeze in diplomatic interactions.
Historical Context and Geopolitical Alignments
Turkey’s ongoing backing for Pakistan in the Kashmir conflict has been the main cause of the tensions between India and Turkey for many years. Following Pakistan’s lead, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan keeps bringing the Kashmir conflict to international forums. India has improved relations with Turkey’s regional adversaries, like Greece, Armenia, and Cyprus, while a result of the adoption of Pakistan’s policy, which has been a persistent thorn in bilateral relationships.
Additionally, India’s strategic projects like the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), announced at the 2024 G20 summit, have consciously been left out of Turkey. The hallway is meant to increase connectivity between Asia and Europe by going around Turkey and indicating India’s desire to cut down on its dependency on Ankara for regional trade corridors.
The Road Ahead
The present tide of popular and official resentment against Turkey in India reflects the widening gap between the two countries. While economic and cultural engagement has over the years acted is a barrier against political differences, recent trends show a toughening of stances. Normalization of relations is unlikely unless Turkey responds to India’s security concerns and reorients its regional affiliations.
In between, India’s geopolitical move toward other trading partners & regional alliances portends a long-term shift in its foreign policy aims, with the potential to reshape South Asia and beyond.