How India’s boycott over Pakistan row may cost Turkey, Azerbaijan

Signs of the backlash are already evident in the travel sector as booking platforms report a significant drop in reservations

Indian tourists are calling off their plans to visit Turkey and Azerbaijan after both nations backed Pakistan during its recent conflict with New Delhi.

Tensions between India and Pakistan deepened after a deadly attack claimed 26 lives in Kashmir last month. New Delhi accused Islamabad of supporting the assault.

Boycott calls against Turkey and Azerbaijan emerged after both the countries issued statements supporting Islamabad following India’s May 7 strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK under Operation Sindoor.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned India’s “unprovoked aggression violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and killing innocent civilians”. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s government too released a statement decrying India’s military action and expressing support for Pakistan.

“Being in solidarity with the people of Pakistan, we express condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured. We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means,” the statement read.

Their support for Pakistan has angered many Indians, leading to boycott calls. As a result, people across the country as well as several travel platforms have urged people to avoid visiting Turkey and Azerbaijan.

“Following the Pahalgam attack and escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, travellers are urged to stay aware. As Turkey and Azerbaijan have shown support for Pakistan, we strongly recommend visiting only if absolutely necessary,” travel agency firm EaseMyTrip wrote.

Ixigo, meanwhile, suspended flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan and China in “solidarity” with the nation. Cox & Kings said it has decided to temporarily pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey.

How does the boycott calls impact Turkey, Azerbaijan?

Last year, reportedly about 2,80,000 Indians travelled to Turkey (up 20% year-on-year) while 2,40,000 went to Azerbaijan. According to EaseMyTrip's Nishant Pitti, the estimated spend per Indian tourist in Turkey stands at $1,200-$1,500 and the total estimated spend in the country in 2023 is believed to be around $350-400 million.

Moreover, India reportedly ranks as the fourth-largest tourist source for Azerbaijan, behind Russia, Turkey, and Iran. Booking.com’s Travel Predictions 2025 highlight Gabala and Baku as top trending international spots for Indian tourists this year.

Over 2.87 lakh Indian tourists visited Turkey last year (2023)This is up from 2.3 lakh in 2022 a growth of over 25% YoYEstimated spend per Indian tourist in Turkey: $1,2001,500Total estimated Indian tourist spend in Turkey (2023): $350400 million USD (~3,000 https://t.co/Hn0ZXGNvS2
Nishant Pitti (@nishantpitti) May 14, 2025

Signs of the backlash are already evident in the travel sector, as booking platforms report a significant drop in reservations, an increase in number of cancellations and growing disapproval of travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

"We have received around 2,000 cancellations and rescheduling requests in the last week for travel to Istanbul and Baku over the next three months," a senior airline official told Moneycontrol.

Trade ties:

Between April and February of 2024–25, India exported goods worth $5.2 billion to Turkey, a decrease from $6.65 billion in 2023–24. During the same period, imports from Turkey totaled $2.84 billion, down from $3.78 billion in the previous year.

As for Azerbaijan, India’s exports stood at $86.07 million during Apr-Feb 2024-25 as against $89.67 million in 2023-24. Imports from the nation were $1.93 million during Apr-Feb 2024-25 as against $0.74 million in 2023-24.

With both these nations, India has a trade surplus.

Should the boycott gain momentum further, it may seriously impact the broader trade relationship and lead to financial setbacks for exporters in both Turkey and Azerbaijan.

How many Indians are there in Turkey, Azerbaijan?

There are currently around 3,000 estimated Indian nationals in Turkey, including 200 students. Similarly, the Indian community in Azerbaijan comprises more than 1,500 people.

India has discovered that Pakistan is utilising Turkish-manufactured Asisguard Songar drones, according to a Times of India report. Pakistan’s reported use of Turkish-made drones in attempted strikes on Indian military targets has only intensified the controversy and public anger.

"Our integrated air defence (AD) systems stood like a wall and they (Pakistan) could not breach it. Whether it's a Turkish drone or anything else, it fails in front of the technology of India," director general of air operations had earlier said in a press briefing.

(With inputs from PTI)