The widening Turkey boycott movement in India, which saw Indian retailers and tourists snapping ties with Turkey and its products, is creating ripples inside the country, with experts warning Ankara. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's stance that he stood by Pakistan through thick and thin in its conflict with India has triggered a backlash in India, with the boycott movement widening.
While a section of Turkish conservative media has warned that India would suffer more if Turkey decided to reciprocate the move, considering Turkey has a foreign trade deficit of approximately $5 billion with India, another section of analysts have warned that it wouldn't do Turkey good to alienate an economic and strategic power like India.
Anil Trigunayat, a former Indian ambassador and expert on West Asia, told Turkish pro-government newspaper Daily Sabah that Turkey’s support to Pakistan has strained ties at the political level. "If Islam is the only factor behind Ankara’s affection, it’s worth recalling that India has more Muslims than any country except Indonesia. A more nuanced approach would serve Turkey's interests far better," he said.
Trigunayat said Ankara can caution Pakistan on countering terrorism as a mutually respectful and sensitive relationship between India and Turkey is in both nations’ interest.
The article in Daily Sabah also hints that the challenge for Turkey is not just about choosing sides but rather understanding the regional and domestic consequences of its positions. It cautions that the erosion of trust with India which is a "potential economic and strategic partner" could widen and a more balanced and empathetic approach was needed.
It also states that there is still room for recalibration as no major policy shift or sanctions have been announced by either government. "But the public backlash in India, if left unaddressed, could harden into long-term resistance among Indian consumers and policymakers alike," the article warned.
Earlier, a Turkish analyst has called Ankara's decision to openly support Pakistan in the India-Pakistan conflict an "ill-advised decision".
"It can be rightfully questioned what benefits Turkey has gained from declaring that it is on Pakistan's side," Prof İlter Turan of Istanbul Bilgi University wrote in his piece that appeared on Ekonomim.