Indian tourist arrivals to Turkey plunge 50% amid Ankara’s pro-Pakistan stance: Report

Notably, this slump comes close on the heels of revelations in May that Turkish-made SONGAR ASISGUARD drones were used by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

Indian tourist arrivals to Turkey have fallen sharply over the past three months, with official data pointing to a near 50 percent decline amid growing resentment over Ankara’s open backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

Figures released by Turkish authorities and accessed by News18 show that only 16,244 Indians visited Turkey in July 2025, compared to 31,659 in May and 24,250 in June.

To be noted here, the year-on-year drop is equally steep -- in July 2024, 28,875 Indians travelled to Turkey -- almost 44 percent more than this July.

Notably, this slump comes close on the heels of revelations in May that Turkish-made SONGAR ASISGUARD drones were used by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

Turkey had also openly sided with Islamabad on global platforms, joining China and Azerbaijan as the only three nations at the United Nations to back Pakistan during the conflict.

The disclosures had immediately sparked calls in India for a “Boycott Turkey” campaign, with major travel portals including MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip and Cleartrip announcing they would stop promoting packages to the country.

EaseMyTrip founder Nishant Pitti had said the fall in numbers reflected Indian travellers’ growing awarenes -- “When a country sides with forces that challenge India’s sovereignty, it cannot expect Indians to contribute to its economy. Respect for our nation is non-negotiable.”

Tourism industry insiders say the effect will likely intensify, as Indian tourists typically plan summer trips months in advance, cited the News18 report.

The backlash has been reinforced by symbolic diplomatic signals from New Delhi.

During his June visit to Cyprus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by President Nikos Christodoulides, had toured the UN ceasefire line in Nicosia and viewed the northern territories under Turkish occupation since 1974, widely seen as a message to Ankara.

Turkey, however, has not softened its stance. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to align with Islamabad, hosting both Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Ankara in recent weeks.