A multipronged boycott of Turkey — driven by public sentiment in India and strengthened by social media campaigns — has already had an economic and diplomatic impact.

Two weeks ago, deadly fighting erupted between India and Pakistan after New Dehli struck what it described as "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

India launched the strikes after a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam town in India-administered Kashmir, in which 26 mostly Indian Hindu tourists were killed.

New Delhi said the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist organization, had carried out the attack and accused Islamabad of backing it. The Pakistani government denied the allegation. 

A rapid military escalation followed, with both countries sending missiles and drones targeting each other's military installations.

Turkey and Azerbaijan, Muslim-majority nations that are popular budget holiday destinations for Indians, both issued statements backing Islamabad in the conflict.

Tourism, trade and education hit

Social media campaigns and public outrage fueled boycott calls, with hashtags such as #BoycottTurkey gaining traction.

Tourism to Turkey, which saw at least 274,000 Indian visitors last year, has plummeted — with bookings down 60% and cancellations up 250%, according to travel agencies.

Popular travel platforms such as EaseMyTrip, MakeMyTrip, and Ixigo have suspended bookings, stopped promotions, and  issued advisories against non-essential travel.

Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar told reporters that: "Every hardworking Indian who travels abroad as a tourist understands today that their hard-earned rupee should not be spent on those who help the enemies of our country."

Last week, India's civil aviation ministry also revoked the security clearance of the Turkish aviation company Celebi, which provides ground services at major Indian airports, on grounds related to "national security," with immediate effect. Celebi has launched a legal challenge to the decision.

While revoking Celebi's clearance, India's junior aviation minister, Murlidhar Mohol, said on X that the government had received requests to ban Celebi.

"Recognising the seriousness of the issue and the call to protect national interests, we have taken cognizance of these requests," Mohol said.

Traders have also begun rejecting Turkish goods ranging from apples and marble to chocolate, coffee and jams. At a national trade conference in New Delhi organized by the Confederation of All India Traders, over 125 top trade leaders agreed to boycott all business dealings with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

On the education front, the premier Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai joined several other prominent educational institutions, such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia, to cancel agreements with Turkish universities.

Erdogan's stance draws criticism

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long advocated a "multilateral" solution to the Kashmir dispute, something India has always opposed.

Erdogan has visited Pakistan on several occasions. His most recent trip was in February, when he arrived with a delegation to boost trade and military ties with Islamabad.

In 2017, Erdogan held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on enhancing economic cooperation and counter-terrorism efforts.

Muddassir Quamar, associate professor at the Centre for West Asian Studies, told DW that Turkey's position on Pakistan is not appreciated in India due to Ankara's perceived unwillingness or failure to see the issue with impartiality and neutrality. 

"The expectation in New Delhi is for Ankara to see the situation not through the Pakistan prism, which is currently the case. Until there is a change in Turkish position, the ties are not likely to improve," Quamar said.

Prasanta Kumar Pradhan, a research fellow and coordinator of the West Asia Centre at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, also said that a rapprochement between India and Turkey is likely to take time.

Pradhan told DW that the boycotts would have a "limited impact," and were "not significant enough to severely affect bilateral trade."

"However, if the boycott persists over an extended period, it could potentially have a more negative impact on trade relations between the two countries."

Future relations uncertain

India exported goods worth $5.2 billion (€4.64 billion) to Turkey between April 2024 and February 2025, according to Indian government data. Major export items included mineral fuels and oils, electrical machinery, automotive parts and vehicles, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and cotton.

And during the same timeframe, India imported goods valued at $2.84 billion from Turkey, including marble and other natural stones, apples and other fruit, gold and precious metals, mineral oils, and petroleum products.

It is still unclear how the boycotts will play out and what trajectory the ties between both countries will take in the coming weeks.

"For now, making high-level engagement with Turkey soon will be challenging. As a result, tensions are expected to persist for the foreseeable future," said Pradhan.

Air India recently lobbied Indian officials to halt budget airline IndiGo's leasing tie-up with Turkish Airlines, citing business impact as well as security concerns sparked by Istanbul's support for Pakistan, the Reuters news agency reported.

Even before the recent spat, India had terminated a $2 billion (€1.77 billion) shipbuilding consultancy agreement with Turkey's Anadolu Shipyard. The deal involved constructing five Fleet Support Ships for the Indian Navy at India's Hindustan Shipyard, with technology and engineering support from Anadolu. 

"Officially, India cited its policy to boost local shipbuilding capacity as the reason for the termination, but it is widely believed that India's discomfort with Turkey's close ties to Pakistan played a significant role," Tara Kartha, a former member of India's National Security Council Secretariat, told DW.

Sanjay Bhattacharyya, a former ambassador to Turkey, said that India needed to be smart and strategic, prioritizing its national interests and global standing.

"I believe matters will settle down over time and both sides will see sense at the end of it," Bhattacharyya told DW.

Edited by: Keith Walker