Due to a widespread boycott by Indian tourists and companies, Turkey, which was a steadfast supporter of Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan crisis linked to Operation Sindoor, is suffering a significant decline in its crucial tourism industry.
India reacted with both official and grassroots responses after Ankara publicly backed Pakistan militarily and politically, including by confirming that Pakistani forces were using sophisticated Turkish drones.
Among these have been the cancelation of business meetings, travel restrictions on Turkish businesses, and a widespread social media campaign in India urging people to stay away from Turkish goods and tourism locations.
The tourism industry in Turkey, which has historically benefited from strong inflows of Indian tourists, has been hardest hit economically. Over 3,30,000 Indian visitors spent between $350 and $400 million in Turkey in 2024, visiting not only big cities like Istanbul and Antalya but also upscale venues like destination weddings and movie shoots.
Official data, however, shows a sharp decline: only 24,250 Indian visitors traveled to Turkey in June 2025, a 37% decrease from 38,307 in June 2024. This trend was reflected in May statistics, which showed a decline in visitors from 41,554 to 31,659 year over year. By removing Turkey from their list of vacation destinations, well-known Indian travel websites MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, and Cleartrip have halted all of their promotions, which has contributed to the decline.
For Turkey, a nation already struggling with inflation and currency devaluation, this loss has serious macroeconomic ramifications. As an economic multiplier, the tourism industry is particularly reliant on the summertime influx of Indian families, honeymooners, and the Indian wedding industry.
According to analysts, the number of cancellations increased by more than 250% and the number of new reservations decreased by more than 60%. This represents tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue at a time when Turkey is most in need of it. The damage was exacerbated by India’s decision to downgrade a number of corporate and economic links with Turkish companies, including rescinding airport contracts for Turkish management corporations. This move closed significant channels for service exports and hard-to-replace IRL.
India’s boycott has been so successful for both symbolic and economic reasons. As a kind of diplomatic pressure, Indian consumers together showed that they had substantial purchasing power and the capacity to change the business environment.
The boycott conveyed to international markets Turkey’s diplomatic isolation and the dangers of closely collaborating with antagonists in South Asian geopolitical disputes, in addition to the lost tourism revenue.
On the military-strategic front, India’s position has become even more rigid as a result of Turkey’s provision of drones, including the Bayraktar-TB2 and SONGAR ASISGUARD, as well as potential plans to transfer cutting-edge anti-drone technologies, like the ALKA-KAPLAN laser tank, to Pakistan. This has infuriated Indian citizens and policymakers.
A thorough recalibration of bilateral relations has resulted from Turkish President Erdogan’s repeated declarations of solidarity with Pakistan, particularly with regard to divisive topics like Kashmir, which have left New Delhi with little room for diplomatic maneuvering.
Turkey is currently experiencing a multifaceted crisis. Its tourism industries, which once flourished on the Indian market, are frantically looking for new cash streams. Erdogan’s administration is also criticized for misjudging the geopolitical implications of siding with Pakistan at the expense of offending a major economic force like India.
Erdogan’s public remarks and ongoing military cooperation with Islamabad, which demonstrate the Turkish leadership’s unwillingness to tone down its political rhetoric, seem to have cemented the boycott and made it unlikely that Turkey’s tourism and service sectors will recover anytime soon.
All things considered, Turkey’s choice to support Pakistan in the India-Pakistan dispute has had a significant impact. The Indian boycott is more than simply a token insult; it is a serious, measurable setback to Turkey’s economy that underscores the dangers of geopolitical alliances that ignore strong economic ties.
