IIT Bombay Terminates Partnership with Turkish Universities Following JNU and Jamia Incidents
India-Turkey Relations in Crisis: A Breakdown in Diplomacy, Business, and Academia
In a striking turn of events, the once cordial India-Turkey relationship finds itself in choppy waters. The watershed moment arrived with Turkey extending support to Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and India's subsequent Operation Sindoor. This shift in alignment has sparked a tornado of dissent in India, impacting diplomatic, economic, and academic sectors.
Diplomatic Rancor
India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar voiced his disapproval over Turkey's stance on Kashmir, while Turkey's President Erdogan continued to side with Pakistan. This antagonistic posture has effectively ended the cordial phase of India-Turkey diplomatic ties witnessed in the 1950s.
India has also bolstered ties with nations like Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia, all of which are embroiled in conflicts with Turkey, further worsening relations. India's diplomatic briefings on Pakistan have seen Turkey's participation downgraded, indicating a clear distancing of diplomatic ties.
Commercial Consequences
Indian traders from Kanpur and Aligarh, traditionally engaging in trade with Turkey, have cut ties in response to the diplomatic tensions. This includes severing academic links and halting imports like Turkish apples. The Kanpur Fruit Association has even announced a boycott of Turkish fruits. Broader trade sectors such as marble and hardware are likely to be affected as Indian alternatives are available and traders advocate for boycotts.
Tourism Turmoil
The diplomatic deterioration has precipitated a notable boycott movement among Indian tourists, with approximately 2,000 Indian travelers abandoning their plans to visit Turkey. Many Indian couples have reconsidered Turkey as a wedding destination, fearing potential financial losses exceeding ₹770 crore (equivalent to about $90 million) for the Turkish tourism and wedding industries.
Domestic Critique of India's Engagement with Turkey
Despite the tensions, ongoing commercial and diplomatic engagement with Turkey has drawn fierce domestic criticism. National security experts have denounced India for persisting in cooperation, given Turkey's defense ties with Pakistan and what they perceive as one-sided benefits from commercial agreements like the Indian airline IndiGo's codeshare with Turkish Airlines. Critics deem India's approach as imprudent and detrimental to national security interests.
In brief, the current India-Turkey relationship is marred by diplomatic animosity, financial boycotts, and public scorn within India, exacerbated by Turkey’s support for Pakistan and questionable military and political positions. Indian institutions and businesses have actively severed ties with Turkish counterparts, signaling a broader erosion of relationships post-Operation Sindoor and related incidents. The impact of this fallout expands beyond diplomacy into economic and cultural domains, indicating a pronounced chill in bilateral relations. [1][2][3][4]
Political conflicts between India and Turkey intensify, with Indian leaders questioning Turkey's support for Pakistan and Turkish President Erdogan maintaining his stance with Pakistan. This has led to a reduction in diplomatic ties, affecting the historical diplomatic relationship between the two countries established in the 1950s.
Commercial exchanges also suffer as Indian traders and consumers cut their ties with Turkey, halting imports and boycotting Turkish goods, including fruits. Additionally, national security experts warn of imprudent engagement with Turkey due to Turkey's defense ties with Pakistan and the perceived one-sided benefits from commercial agreements, adding to the domestic criticism of India's engagement with Turkey.
