KEY POINTS
- Turkey supplied over 350 drones and military operatives to Pakistan during India's Operation Sindoor in 2025.
- President Erdogan repeatedly raised the Kashmir issue at the UN, backing Pakistan and interfering in India’s internal matters.
- Indian universities, travel platforms, and trade bodies have cut ties with Turkey in response to its anti-India actions.
India’s Anger Over Turkey’s Actions. The relationship between India and Turkey has taken a serious downturn in recent years. Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has repeatedly taken steps that have hurt India’s national interests and sovereignty. From openly supporting Pakistan during sensitive times to opposing India in global forums, Turkey has made it clear where it stands, and it’s not with India.
Turkey Backed Pakistan During Operation Sindoor
In May 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a military operation to destroy terror camps in Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. Shockingly, Turkey provided over 350 drones and sent military operatives to Pakistan. This wasn’t just political support, it was military aid to a country that supports terrorism against India. Many Indians viewed this as a direct betrayal and a hostile act.
Since 2019, Turkey has been constantly interfering in India’s internal matters, especially Kashmir. President Erdoğan has repeatedly raised the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, siding with Pakistan and painting a false picture of the situation in Kashmir. In 2019, he said:
“Kashmir is still besieged and eight million people are stuck.”
Such statements show disrespect for India’s sovereignty and are based on false propaganda.
Turkey and Pakistan have been building strong military ties. From drone sales to naval and intelligence cooperation, Turkey is treating Pakistan like a close ally. These same Turkish drones were reportedly used against Indian forces during Operation Sindoor. The presence of a Turkish warship (TCG BÜYÜKADA) in Karachi, just days before the operation, adds to suspicions that Turkey was helping Pakistan prepare against India.
Opposition to India on the World Stage
Turkey continues to oppose India on multiple international platforms. It has supported Pakistan’s views in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and even opposed India’s bid for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. Erdoğan once compared Kashmir to Palestine, a misleading and harmful comparison. This kind of rhetoric damages India’s global standing and encourages separatist elements.
India also faces unfair trade practices from Turkey. Turkish apples have flooded the Indian market, badly affecting local apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister even asked the central government to increase import taxes on Turkish apples to protect Indian growers. Economic relations can’t be separated from political hostility.
Trying to Meddle in Kashmir Talks
Back in 2017, President Erdoğan even suggested that Turkey could help mediate in the Kashmir issue. This was seen by India as interference in a purely bilateral matter between India and Pakistan. India strongly rejected this suggestion and emphasized that no third party, including Turkey, has any role in it.
Turkey’s leadership has often compared Kashmir with conflicts like Palestine and Cyprus. During the 75th session of the UN in 2020, Erdoğan again highlighted Kashmir alongside Palestine. For India, such statements are unacceptable, as they equate India’s internal governance with foreign-occupied or disputed territories, which is factually wrong and diplomatically insulting.
India Responds: Academic and Institutional Breaks
In 2025, several top Indian educational institutions, both government and private, cut ties with Turkish universities to protest Turkey’s anti-India stance:
- IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee, and IIM Kozhikode terminated their MoUs with Turkish universities.
- JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia suspended all collaboration with Turkey.
- Chandigarh University and Lovely Professional University (LPU) cut off links with institutions in Turkey and Azerbaijan.
- Even the Maulana Azad National Urdu University canceled its course with Turkey’s Yunus Emre Institute.
These actions show that India’s academic community stands firmly with the nation.
Travel Advisories and Public Backlash
Indian online travel agencies like EaseMyTrip and Ixigo have warned people against traveling to Turkey. Public outrage against Turkey has grown stronger, especially after reports of military support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
India’s anger is not new. As far back as 1965, during the India-Pakistan war, Turkey supplied Rs 5 million worth of arms to Pakistan, according to the Ministry of External Affairs’ report. This long history of supporting India’s enemy further adds to the reasons why India must rethink its ties with Turkey.
Turkey’s Frustration: India’s Growing Ties With Greece and Armenia
Just like Turkey supported Pakistan, India has started supporting Turkey’s rivals: Greece and Armenia. Turkey views this as a threat to its regional dominance.
ALSO READ: “India Rallies Against Turkey: Trade and Travel Boycotts Surge After Diplomatic Fallout”
- With Greece, India is increasing defense cooperation, including joint naval exercises and maritime talks in the Eastern Mediterranean.
- With Armenia, India has signed military deals, supplied arms, and launched joint training programs to counter the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan alliance.
- Turkey doesn’t like this, but India is doing it to protect its national interest.
Why India Has Every Right to Be Angry?
- Turkey has publicly supported Pakistan, a country that sponsors terrorism.
- It has interfered in Kashmir, an internal Indian matter, for five years in a row at the UN.
- It has opposed India globally, hurt domestic farmers, and misrepresented India’s policies.
- It is involved in military actions that hurt Indian soldiers and national security.
- In return, India has taken bold steps, cutting academic ties, launching boycotts, building ties with Turkey’s rivals, and standing firm at international forums.
Turkey has shown, time and again, that it does not respect India’s sovereignty. Whether it’s interfering in Kashmir, supplying weapons to Pakistan, or hurting India’s economy, Turkey has crossed the line. India is not just reacting emotionally, it is acting strategically and firmly. Cutting ties, boycotting products, and building alliances with Turkey’s rivals are strong and necessary steps.
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