Terror-enablers Turkey and Azerbaijan face boycott heat for support to Pakistan
A wave of patriotic fervor is sweeping across Indian social media as citizens unite under the banners of #BoycottTurkey and #BoycottAzerbaijan after Turkish-made drones were used by Pakistan in retaliation to Operation Sindoor—India’s precision military operation targeting terror infrastructure across the Line of Control.
What began as a covert strike to dismantle cross-border terror hubs quickly escalated when Pakistan, reeling from the success of Operation Sindoor, launched a retaliatory drone offensive using Turkish-supplied Bayraktar TB2 drones. This aggressive response—targeting civil centers as well as key Indian military installations—enraged the Indian public, who now see Turkey and Azerbaijan not just as silent enablers, but as active collaborators in Pakistan’s anti-India machinery.
Turkey and Azerbaijan: No Longer neutral players
This isn’t diplomatic posturing anymore. This is warfare by proxy. When Pakistan chooses to retaliate using Turkish technology and Azerbaijan supports its armed misadventure against India, it becomes clear that Ankara and Baku are not sitting on the fence—they have chosen sides, and that is against India.
For years, Erdoğan has fancied himself as a global Caliph and the leader of the Muslim Ummah, sermonising about Kashmir from the podiums of the UN, while shamelessly jailing journalists and crushing Kurdish dissent at home. Now, that ideological hostility has crossed into the realm of military aggression—with Turkey supplying Pakistan with lethal aerial assets used against Indian targets.
Azerbaijan’s involvement, while less publicized, is equally dangerous. By aligning itself with Turkey and Pakistan, it has inserted itself into the India-Pakistan conflict with no moral or strategic justification.
Tourism Boycott: Hits where it hurts the most
The Indian response has been swift, sharp, and civilian-led. Within hours of news breaking that Turkish drones were involved in Pakistan’s retaliation to Operation Sindoor, Indian netizens flooded social media with boycott calls. Hashtags like #BoycottTurkey, #BoycottAzerbaijan, and #NoTravelToTurkey began trending across platforms.
Influencers, travel bloggers, politicians, and even former diplomats have urged Indians to cancel travel plans to Turkey and Azerbaijan. Once considered top choices for destination weddings and luxury vacations, cities like Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia, and Baku are now facing an unprecedented boycott from Indian travelers. Indian businessmen and companies have also partaken in the boycott campaign, with many prominent travel companies vowing to not tour packages and flights to Turkey and Azerbaijan.
A letter, allegedly issued by Turkey’s Department of Tourism, has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter). In the letter, Ankara appears to acknowledge the growing boycott by Indian tourists, a direct fallout of Turkey’s unapologetic support for Pakistan amid escalating border tensions with India. But it has done little to assuage fury against Turkey.
This sentiment is fast translating into action. Travel agencies report a noticeable spike in cancellations, and platforms like IXIGO and EaseMyTrip have already announced they would not allow their services to be used to book flights and vacations to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. Indian influencers who once romanticised Turkish locales are now posting videos urging followers to travel to friendlier nations like Greece instead.
A stark example of anti-Turkey sentiments coursing through common man comes from Pune’s APMC fruit market, where traders have halted purchases of Turkish apples—typically part of a ₹1,000–1,200 crore seasonal trade. Merchants say this is more than economics; it’s a stand with the armed forces. Demand for Turkish apples has dropped nearly 50%, as consumers actively reject products from countries siding against India. Traders are now sourcing apples from Himachal, Uttarakhand, and Iran, reinforcing the movement as both a patriotic and economic stand.
Cultural & consumer backlash: No more soft power excuses
The backlash isn’t limited to travel. Turkish TV shows, coffee, textiles, and consumer goods are being boycotted. Indian streaming subscribers have begun uninstalling apps that promote Turkish content. Turkish Airlines, which capitalized on India’s outbound tourism, is facing social media heat with thousands calling for a mass boycott.
Even Indian businesses that previously imported Turkish ceramics, fashion goods, or dry fruits are being asked to “switch to domestic or allied alternatives.”
This consumer rebellion signals a broader shift: Indians are no longer passive observers of geopolitics. They’re active participants—willing to vote with their wallets.
New India’s warning: Funding armed jihad against India comes at a very dear cost
India’s message to Ankara and Baku is now crystal clear: If you arm our enemies, you are our adversaries. There is no middle ground.
Operation Sindoor was India’s sovereign response to terrorism. Pakistan’s decision to retaliate using Turkish drones and Azerbaijan’s over support to Islamabad has brought these two countries into the theater of conflict. And Indians are not taking it lightly.
This isn’t merely a boycott. It’s a strategic cultural blockade. India has the economic heft, astute leadership, demographic advantage, and digital firepower to isolate hostile regimes—not through bombs, but through bandwidth.
Stop tourism to terror enablers
Make no mistake. Turkey and Azerbaijan are fully aware Pakistan is a terror state and what support to Islamabad in the context with its proxy and military war with India. Therefore, no Indians should be strolling around the fancy gardens of Istanbul while Turkish drones continue to violate India’s international borders and Line of Control. No couple should be hiking mountains in Azerbaijan when that nation finds no qualms in backing a nation who harbours the fantasy of ‘bleeding India with a thousand cuts.’
They have made their choices known. It is time that, we Indians, ensure our hard earned money is not used in funding Pakistan’s Jihad against us.
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