India says it has concerns over Turkiye's help to Pak during Op Sindoor

In a related development, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Wednesday urged Indian citizens to boycott travel to Turkiye and Azerbaijan

The Centre has said that it has taken note of Türkiye’s support to Pakistan prior to and during Operation Sindoor, including its diplomatic and defence assistance, and New Delhi expects Istanbul to look into its concerns on the issue.

 

During a press briefing on Monday, conducted by Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti, and Director General of Naval Operations Vice Admiral AN Pramod, India presented visual evidence of the wreckage of a Turkish-origin Byker YIHA III kamikaze drone launched by Pakistan that was neutralised and recovered by the Indian military.

 

 

Jaiswal said, “I would say that we have obviously taken note of this. I direct your attention to the comments in (Monday's) defence briefing about the extent of their effectiveness or otherwise.”

 

Off the record, government sources said while Türkiye remains a friendly nation, its continued support to Islamabad could have a bearing on India’s ties with that country, including on Turkish companies working in India.

 

Political parties, such as Shiv Sena (UBT), have already threatened to launch an agitation to demand the ouster of a Turkish company involved in ground handling at several airports, including Mumbai airport. 

 

On Wednesday, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an economic think tank affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), urged the government to impose economic sanctions on Türkiye. It also called for suspension of civil aviation links, discouraging outbound tourism and re-evaluating diplomatic engagements with Turkey due to its “unholy alliance” with Pakistan that directly compromises India's security.

 

In March 2022, Ilker Ayci, a former chief of Turkish Airlines, had declined to join Air India as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO), citing political controversies in India.

 

At the time, the SJM had expressed reservations on Ayci’s appointment. Its national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan had then said that the aviation industry cannot be equated with a wafers manufacturer, and that it was a matter of national security. It had pointed to Ayci’s links with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

 

In a related development, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Wednesday urged Indian citizens to boycott travel to Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

 

It said its nationwide campaign to boycott Chinese products has had a considerable impact, and it now intends to extend “this movement to Türkiye and Azerbaijan.”

 

The outfit will take further decisions on the issue at its meeting on Friday. 

 

CAIT is headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Lok Sabha member from Delhi's Chandni Chowk seat, Praveen Khandelwal.

 

On Wednesday, Mahajan said that it is unfortunate that Türkiye didn't even condemn the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

 

“During the devastating earthquakes in February 2023 in Türkiye, India was one of the first countries to launch Operation Dost, dispatching rescue teams and relief material,” Mahajan said.

 

Traders, such as those who deal in imported Turkish apples and marble, have also issued boycott calls.

 

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) on Wednesday, which claimed to represent 36 crafts of workers, technicians and artists in the Indian media and entertainment industry, appealed to Indian artistes and producers to boycott Türkiye as a shooting destination.

 

According to a PTI report, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has suspended an academic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Türkiye's Inonu University, citing national security considerations, officials of JNU told the news agency.

 

The MoU was inked on February 3 for a period of three years, which entailed plans for faculty and student exchange programmes, among others.

 

Türkiye and Azerbaijan had criticised India's strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

 

According to a Reuters report from London on Wednesday, Türkiye’s Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said during a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development that geopolitical turmoil had, in recent years, been a drag on Türkiye's economy, which was now shifting.

 

“There are really strong signs that geopolitics may actually turn into a lifting factor, meaning a factor that is likely to help Türkiye,” he said.

 

(With inputs from Bhaswar Kumar)