Indian tourists shun Turkey and Azerbaijan after Operation Sindoor, travel plunges up to 70%: Report

Between June and August 2025, Indian arrivals to Azerbaijan fell by nearly 70%, while travel to Turkey dropped by 38% compared to the same period last year.

Indian travellers appear to be continuing their informal “soft sanction” against Turkey and Azerbaijan in the months following Operation Sindoor, with tourism to both countries seeing a steep decline, CNN-News18 reported.

According to the data accessed by CNN-News18, between June and August 2025, Indian arrivals to Azerbaijan fell by nearly 70%, while travel to Turkey dropped by 38% compared to the same period last year.

Operation Sindoor and diplomatic fallout

Operation Sindoor was launched in May as a counterterror campaign following the massacre of over 26 civilians by Pakistan-trained terrorists in Pahalgam in April. Most of the victims were tourists, targeted based on their religion.

In retaliation, the Indian Air Force carried out precision air raids deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, destroying multiple terror hideouts and killing several top militant commanders. The operation escalated briefly after the Pakistan Army intervened, deploying drones to target Indian civilians.

Indian forces successfully countered the attacks, forcing Pakistan into a ceasefire after suffering heavy military losses.

During the conflict, Turkey supplied drones to Pakistan, which were used to target Indian cities and military facilities, while Azerbaijan openly backed Islamabad and “condemned” India’s air raids. The two countries later received visits from Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, who thanked their counterparts for their support.

Tourism backlash and travel industry response
This diplomatic alignment with Pakistan sparked anger among Indian travellers, many of whom opted to boycott both Turkey and Azerbaijan. CNN-News18 reported that this sentiment was reflected across India’s online travel ecosystem, with major platforms such as MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip reportedly discouraging travel to the two countries.

Although no official advisory was issued by the Indian government, the public sentiment and private sector response appear to have sent a clear message: Indian tourists are unwilling to support nations backing Pakistan’s stance.

Sharp drop in arrivals

Between June and August 2025, only 20,631 Indians travelled to Azerbaijan, compared to 69,576 during the same period in 2024, a sharp fall of nearly 70%. Monthly data shows the downward trend continued throughout the summer, with 9,934 visitors in June (against 28,315 last year), 4,665 in July (against 20,124), and 6,032 in August (against 21,137).

A similar pattern was observed in Turkey, where Indian tourist arrivals dropped by 38%, from 93,963 in 2024 to 58,544 this year. In June, 24,250 Indians visited Turkey (down from 38,307 last year), followed by 16,825 in July (down from 28,875) and 17,649 in August (down from 26,781). The overall trend underscores a significant and sustained decline in Indian travel to both countries amid the geopolitical fallout following Operation Sindoor.

Between June and August 2025, only 20,631 Indians visited Azerbaijan, down from 69,576 during the same period in 2024, a fall of nearly 70%.