Not just travel: India pressing Turkey's many pain points

Indian travellers are punishing Turkey by boycotting the popular tourist destination for Turkey's open support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Turkey actively helped Pakistan in combat against India. The Pakistani army fired Turkish drones at 36 locations in India. A Turkish naval warship arrived at Karachi port right before India's strike and just days after a Turkish Air Force C-130 aircraft landed in the city. There were also reports of Turkish aircraft delivering weapons to Pakistan. Though Turkey and Pakistan have a history of military collaboration and Turkey has also been selling weapons to Pakistan, supply of weapons and a warship visit during conflict with India point at Turkey's open support to Pakistan against India.

India on Wednesday blocked the official X account of Turkish state broadcaster TRT World for spreading misinformation.

Much before the boycott of Turkey by Indian travellers and the government's ban on its state media, India had started countering Turkey with various strategic, diplomatic and trade moves for its support to Pakistan, particularly on the Kashmir issue. Erdogan has repeatedly raised the Kashmir issue at international platforms, notably at the UN General Assembly, including during and after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. India is already pressing Turkey's various pain points.

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India's strategic moves against Turkey
Erdogan’s open support for Pakistan on Kashmir has led to a significant downturn in Indo-Turkish relations. In response, India has undertaken a multi-pronged diplomatic and strategic counter-offensive, sharpening its foreign policy to engage with Turkey’s regional opponents and ally with bigger powers in the region.

India has done a realignment of partnerships aimed at counterbalancing Turkish influence. This includes fostering closer ties with Turkey’s geopolitical and historical opponents: Greece, Armenia and Cyprus. In recent years, India has significantly deepened defense and strategic ties with Greece. In 2023, Indian Air Force fighter jets participated in joint exercises with the Hellenic Air Force in the Mediterranean, signaling growing military cooperation. The two nations have also discussed maritime security and are exploring naval collaboration in the Eastern Mediterranean — a region where Turkey’s maritime ambitions have caused friction with Greece and Cyprus.

Perhaps the most direct signal of India’s counter-strategy came with the sale of Indian-made weapons to Armenia, including the PINAKA multi-barrel rocket launcher systems, anti-tank missiles and radar systems. These deals mark India’s first major defense exports to the South Caucasus, a region where Turkey has backed Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia which has welcomed India's involvement, seeing it as a counterbalance to Turkish-Azerbaijan aggression.

In a decisive move to distance itself from military cooperation with Turkey, India in 2023 cancelled a planned naval shipbuilding deal with a Turkish defense firm. The project, which would have seen Turkish involvement in the modernization of Indian naval vessels, was scrapped over national security concerns. The cancellation was widely interpreted as a direct response to Erdogan’s repeated anti-India stance.

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India's diplomatic counter to Erdogan
India has invested heavily in deepening ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — two regional powers that Erdogan has frequently antagonized through his support for Islamist movements like the Muslim Brotherhood and his ambition to lead the Muslim world.

The India-UAE relationship has grown into a robust strategic partnership. The signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022 laid the foundation for expanding bilateral trade, defense cooperation and energy collaboration. The two nations have also conducted joint military exercises and counterterrorism training, indicating shared strategic interests. India's relations with Saudi Arabia have reached unprecedented levels, with increased collaboration in energy security, defense and infrastructure. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision of economic diversification under “Vision 2030” aligns well with India’s growth trajectory, offering mutually beneficial investment opportunities.

Erdogan’s ambition to position Turkey as the leader of the Muslim world has led to deteriorating ties with the traditional Arab powerhouses in the Gulf. His support for the Muslim Brotherhood, criticism of the Abraham Accords, and interventions in Syria and Libya have widened the rift between Turkey and Saudi Arabia and the UAE. India has capitalized on this rift. By aligning with the Gulf powerhouses and their vision of a post-oil, economically diversified Middle East, India has positioned itself as a reliable partner in the region.

India’s response to Erdogan's hostile stance is part of its larger foreign policy doctrine under Prime Minister Narendra Modi — pragmatic and multi-aligned. India's willingness to diplomatically engage with Turkey’s opponents reflects its recognition of the changing balance of power in the region. India’s participation in forums like the India-France-UAE trilateral, and its increasing visibility in the Eastern Mediterranean through naval deployments, are signals of its willingness to act as a regional counter against Turkish ambitions.

Unlike boycotts by Indian travellers, India’s counter to Erdogan’s provocations is not impulsive retaliation but a calculated diplomatic and strategic response. By forging alliances with Turkey’s regional adversaries and enhancing ties with Gulf partners, India is neutralizing Turkey's attempts to internationalize the Kashmir issue. Erdogan’s rhetoric against India and his support to Pakistan may continue, but India’s consistent actions will ensure Turkey's anti-India moves do not have any deep traction in the region.