From security, aviation to education, trade: How India is cutting ties with Turkey over Pakistan

India is cutting ties with Turkey over Pakistan across multiple sectors.

From security and aviation to education and trade, New Delhi isn’t sparing Ankara after it backed Islamabad during Operation Sindoor – which hit terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Turkey didn’t offer Pakistan just verbal support – it also reportedly sent its ally unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which were used against India as well as drone operators.

Many on social media also pointed out that Ankara’s support for Islamabad came after New Delhi launched Operation Dost in February 2023 to support Turkey after a devasting earthquake.

Let’s take a closer look at how India is cutting ties with Turkey:

Education

As per The Times of India, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) on Thursday wrote to vice-chancellors across the country.

The AIU, citing national security,
urged the V-Cs to suspend academic ties with Turkey,
Pakistan and Bangladesh.

A number of colleges including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia and Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU) have already done so.

The Jamia Millia University (JMI) in Delhi had cancelled its MoU with Turkish educational institutes with “immediate effect,” while JNU had done so citing national security.

JNU has suspended an MoU with Turkey’s Inonu University “due to national security considerations as JNU stands with the nation and the armed forces, many of whom are JNU Alumni,” university VC Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit told the newspaper.

“Due to National Security considerations, the MoU between JNU and Inonu University, Türkiye stands suspended until further notice. JNU stands with the Nation. #NationFirst”, JNU wrote on X.

As per Mint, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) on Thursday suspended its ties with Turkey’s Yunus Emre Institute with immediate effect.

“This decision is taken in protest against Turkey’s support for Pakistan’s terrorist activities in the backdrop of Indo-Pak tensions,” reads a statement by MANUU.

Delhi University is said to be reviewing its ties with colleges in Turkey.

Lovely Professional University (LPU) on Friday become the first private university in India to terminate all Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with institutions in Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The LPU did so citing India’s national interest.

Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Founder Chancellor of LPU, said, “When our brave armed forces are risking their lives–whether in covert operations, air defence, or patrolling our borders–we, as an institution, cannot remain indifferent.

“LPU’s mission has always been aligned with the growth and integrity of India, and we will never associate with any institution that undermines India’s sovereignty. While diplomacy is the domain of governments, LPU’s action sends a powerful message: the academic world, too, bears a moral responsibility. National security is not safeguarded solely at the borders–it must be defended in every classroom, boardroom, and international collaboration.”

The letter by AIU president professor Vinay Kumar Pathak entitled “Appeal for National Solidarity in Response to Pakistan and Its Allies’ State-Sponsored Terrorism Against India” went to 1,100 universities.

The letter slammed “state-sponsored terrorism” and singled out Turkey and Bangladesh for anti-India narratives. “These efforts aim to destabilise our democratic fabric and national unity,” the letter stated.

It called on Indian institutes of higher learning to “review and, if needed, suspend or end” partnerships.

The letter also stressed on the need for “national solidarity.”

“India’s academic institutions stand united in condemnation of terrorism,” the letter concluded, as per the newspaper

Aviation

There are also calls to boycott Turkish Airlines – which does big business in India – and is tied up with IndiGo.

Turkish Airlines has 56 weekly flights to 10 destinations within the country – Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Trichy.

The airline connects Indian passengers to 352 destinations across 131 countries including in Europe, the Americas, and Africa.

It carried 85.2 million passengers across the world in 2024 –a 2.1% increase from 2023.

India is thought to contribute significantly to the airline’s numbers.

The airline in 2022 generated $16.7 billion in passenger and cargo revenue from international flights.

Though Europe led the figures, India again is thought to have made a sizeable contribution.

Passenger revenue in 2024 rose four per cent increased to $18.7 billion globally.

In short, any boycott of Turkish Airlines by Indian citizens would hurt its bottom line.

Turkish Cargo, the airline’s freight division, also functions at Delhi and Mumbai International Airport.

Turkish Cargo in 2024 generated $3.5 billion in revenue –  a 35 per cent increase from $2.6 billion in 2023, with 2 million tonnes of cargo (a growth of 20.6 per cent).

IndiGo has defended its partnership with Turkish Airlines.

“The codeshare has enabled IndiGo to build its presence in the long-haul markets in Europe and the US, putting in place the foundation for self-sufficiency, i.e. its long-haul foray with the 40 A321 XLR and 30 A350 aircraft ordered by the airline,” an airline spokesman was quoted as saying.

Security

The government on Thursday announced it has
cancelled the security clearance of Turkish firm Celbi Security Services
over national security concerns.

As per Economic Times, the company first began providing services at the Mumbai International Airport.

It now provides does so at nine airports across India – Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Ahmedabad and Chennai.

“The security clearance in r/o Celebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd, under the category Ground Handling Agency was approved by DG, BCAS vide letter no. 15/99/2022-Delhi-BCAS/E-219110 dated 21.11.2022. In the exercise of power conferred upon DG, BCAS, the security clearance in r/o Celebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of National Security. This issues with the approval of DG, BCAS,” read the government’s order, as per Economic Times.

The development came amid rumours that Sumeyye Erdogan Bayraktar, the daughter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is part owner of the parent company of the firm.

The firm has denied any such claims.

“For the record and in line with complete transparency there is no one named Sümeyye owning any shareholding in the parent organisation. The Turkish shareholding is solely limited to members of the founding Celebjoğlų family; Mr. Can Celebjoğlu and Ms. Canan Çelebioğlu (each holding 17.5%)., nor any individuals with the same. The company was originally established in 1958 by their father as Turkey’s first private and independent ground handling company. Both siblings have no political affiliations or associations of any kind,”  Celbi Security Services said in a statement.

The firm said it is majority-owned by international institutional investors in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Western Europe.

“We are not a Turkish organisation by any standard and adhere fully to globally accepted practices of corporate governance, transparency, and neutrality, with no political affiliations or links to any foreign government or individuals,” the company said.

After India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Turkey backed Pakistan by criticising the strikes.

As per Deccan Herald, Turkish President Recep Tayyip called up Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to offer support.

Erdogan praised Pakistan’s ‘calm and restrained policies’ and called Islamabad’s demand into the Pahalgam attack ‘appropriate.’

Erdogan earlier this week vowed that he will continue to support the “brotherly people of Pakistan.”

“While openly declaring our support for the brotherly people of Pakistan, we also made intense efforts to de-escalate the tension, which had risen to very dangerous levels,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Business Today.

Erdogan further praised Pakistanis “their patient, sensible and moderate attitude.”

Erdogan added, “I hope that the calm environment provided by the ceasefire will facilitate the resolution of all other problems, especially the water issue.”

Following Erdogan’s comments, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to social media to praise his ‘precious brother.’

Tourism

The calls initially gained steam on social media during Operation Sindoor.

Hashtags like BoycottTurkey were trending
with many urging Indian citizens to boycott Turkey
as a tourist destination.

Billionaire Harsh Goenka and actor Rupali Ganguly were among those who called for a boycott.

“Indians gave Rs 4,000+cr to Turkey & Azerbaijan last year through tourism. Created jobs. Boosted their economy, hotels, weddings, flights. Today, both stand with Pakistan after Pahalgam attack. Plenty of beautiful places in India & the world. Please skip these 2 places. Jai Hind,” Goenka wrote on X.

Indeed, many Indians travellers seem to be following through.

As per NDTV Profit, hundreds of travellers have cancelled trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

“We’ve seen 22 per cent cancellations to Turkey,” EaseMyTrip chairman Nishant Patti told the outlet.

“Our members have noticed roughly about 15-20% cancellations in the last few days for outbound travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan,” Ravi Gosain, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators added. “Clearly, nationalistic sentiments are running high, and because both of these countries are perceived to support Pakistan, many people are cancelling their plans to visit them.”

Some travel portals have also joined in the boycott call.

EaseMyTrip urged travellers to avoid visiting Turkey unless it is absolutely necessary, while Cox&Kings and Ixigo suspended bookings to Turkey.

A MakeMyTrip spokesperson said, “Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past one week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60 per cent, while cancellations have surged by 250 per cent during the same period.”

“In solidarity with our nation and out of deep respect for our armed forces, we strongly support this sentiment and advise all against all non-essential travel to Azerbaijan and Turkey. We have already discontinued all promotions and offers on our platform to discourage tourism to these two destinations.”

Trade

Indian traders have gotten in on the act too –
boycotting Turkish marble and Turkish apples
.

As per ANI, India’s marble hub of Udaipur has called on a ban of imports from Turkey.

“We have written to the Prime Minister, asking for a ban on Turkish marble. Business cannot be bigger than the nation,” Kapil Surana, President of the Udaipur Marble Processors Association told the outlet.

Pune traders have started boycotting apples imported from Turkey.

“In Pune, Turkish apples used to bring in seasonal revenue of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 crore. But now, there’s zero demand,” Suyog Zende, a trader at Pune’s APMC market. “It’s not just trade, it’s about patriotism,” he added.

“We have decided to stop purchasing apples from Turkey and are instead opting for produce from Himachal, Uttarakhand, Iran, and other regions. This decision aligns with our patriotic duty and support for the nation.”

With inputs from agencies