Boycott Turkey: Indians, celebs cancel trips; call for ban on Turkish goods for backing Pakistan

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan have openly sided with Pakistan following India's launch of airstrikes under Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok). Several reports suggest that Turkish drones were used by Pakistan's army to target Indian military bases and civilian areas.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says 'Long live Pakistan'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed strong support for Pakistan, referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as his "dear brother" and pledging continued solidarity. He stated that Turkey would stand by Pakistan "in good times and bad."

Erdogan's remarks came in response to a post by Sharif, who had thanked Turkey for its backing after Operation Sindoor—a counter-terror operation launched in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, allegedly supported by Pakistan. Erdogan described the Turkey-Pakistan relationship as "one of the finest examples of true friendship," concluding his post on X (formerly Twitter) with, "Long live Pakistan."

These developments have sparked widespread anger in India. A large number of tourists have cancelled planned trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan. In addition to the travel backlash, several Turkish goods and food items have reportedly been banned or boycotted across India. Many traders have also refused to stock or sell products imported from the two countries.

Online travel platforms MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip reported a sharp decline in bookings and a surge in cancellations for Turkey and Azerbaijan. According to MakeMyTrip, cancellations surged by 250% as of Wednesday compared to normal levels.

In response, Indian citizens have launched a widespread campaign on social media, urging others to boycott travel and products linked to Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

The Jain Lotus Group from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has joined the growing movement to boycott Turkey following the country's recent show of support for Pakistan. According to Mid-Day, more than 800 members of the group had planned a 12-day trip to Turkey after Diwali, now fully cancelled in protest.

Celebs who have joined the boycott calls for Turkey

Rupali Ganguly wrote, "Can we please cancel our bookings for Turkey. This is my request to all Indian Celebs/Influencers/Travellers. This is the least we can do as Indians. #BoycottTurkey."

Soon after she shared the post, many hailed her for taking a stand.

Television actor Kushal Tandon revealed that his mother cancelled a planned trip to Turkey after the country backed Pakistan in the wake of India's Operation Sindoor.

For the unversed, Turkey is a country that is highly dependent on tourism, with the sector contributing as much as 12 per cent to the country's GDP. The tourism sector accounts for 10 per cent of the total employment in the country. India is one of Turkey's fastest-growing source markets.