Turkey’s foreign policy under President Erdoğan has increasingly tilted in favor of Pakistan, aligning on key defense and geopolitical issues. This alignment, especially during the 2025 Indo-Pak standoff, has significantly cooled diplomatic relations between Ankara and New Delhi. Yet, amid these high-level tensions, Turkey is also actively pursuing a closer partnership with India’s civil aviation sector—highlighting a stark contradiction in its foreign engagement.
During the Pahalgam terror attack fallout, Turkey openly backed Pakistan’s narrative, ignoring India’s position and concerns. Military cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan includes shared technologies, weapons systems, and defense strategies. India views this alliance with suspicion, especially when it involves the development and supply of military hardware that could be used in a potential conflict.
Contrasting this military alignment, Turkish Airlines has been aggressive in its pursuit of expansion within India. Already operating 14 flights weekly between Istanbul and Indian metros like Delhi and Mumbai, the airline now wants to double this number and add new routes to Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Hyderabad. The goal is clear: capitalize on India’s exploding middle-class demand for international travel.
But this economic aspiration is clashing with growing nationalist sentiment in India. Following Turkey’s vocal support for Pakistan, Indian consumers have responded swiftly. Major Indian travel operators report a sharp fall in demand for Turkey as a destination. Nationalist influencers and business leaders are calling for financial boycotts, claiming India can leverage its ₹4,000 crore tourism contribution to pressurize Turkey into reevaluating its strategic choices.
Moreover, India’s government is reevaluating bilateral engagements beyond tourism. Deals involving Turkish defense firms are being scrutinized. Several contracts have been paused or redirected. Indian policymakers are signaling that military alliances have consequences beyond just the defense industry—they affect broader bilateral relations, including trade, tourism, and aviation.
Yet, the Turkish aviation sector is betting that economic logic will prevail over politics. With Turkey serving as a strategic connector between Europe and Asia, Turkish Airlines markets itself as a cost-effective, efficient hub carrier for Indian passengers traveling westward.
As things stand, India and Turkey find themselves at a geopolitical crossroads. While flights continue to operate, diplomatic relations remain strained. Whether economics can override political distrust is a question still hanging in the air—perhaps as high as the very skies Turkish Airlines hopes to dominate.
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