Amid boycott Turkey calls, PM Modi claims surge in ‘vocal for local,’ ‘wed in India’ trend

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, during is 122nd episode of his monthly radio show ‘Mann Ki Baat’ highlighted a renewed wave of enthusiasm among Indians for initiatives like ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Wed in India’ in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. Notably, PM Modi's statement comes amid a rising surge of calls across India to boycott Turkey, following Ankara’s overt support for Pakistan.

During the Mann ki Baat episode, PM Modi also mentioned, “Some families pledged we will spend our next vacation at a beautiful place in the country itself”.

Why Turkey drew India's Ire?

Amid India’s allegations of Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism, Turkey condemned Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack in India.

Furthermore, Turkey provided Pakistan with drones, which were later used against India to target civilian areas and military installations during Operation Sindoor.

India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack. The precision airstrikes on nine terror camps killed at least 100 terrorists in Pakistan and PoK. Pakistan escalated the situation and attempted to strike Indian civilian areas and military installations.

Indian forces also destroyed 11 Pakistani air bases, inflicting major damage to Pakistan’s misadventure plans.

Turkish Everything Faces Boycott in India

The boycott of Turkey in India has led to bans and widespread rejection of Turkish products and services across multiple sectors due to Turkey's support for Pakistan amid recent India-Pakistan conflicts.

Key elements of the boycott include:

Consumer Goods Ban:

Indian small grocery shops and major online fashion retailers have stopped selling Turkish products such as chocolates, coffee, biscuits, jams, cosmetics, and clothing brands like Trendyol, LC Waikiki, Koton, and Mavi.

The All India Products Distribution Federation (AICPDF), representing millions of small shops, declared an indefinite boycott of Turkish food products worth around ₹2,000 crore.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress leader Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has advocated banning Turkish apple imports, valued at about $60 million annually.

The Udaipur Marble Processors Association banned Turkish marble imports, which previously accounted for 70% of India’s supply.

Tourism and Travel Restrictions:

Major Indian travel companies such as MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, and Cox & Kings have suspended or paused bookings and promotions for travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan, citing national sentiment and security concerns.

Flight and holiday package bookings to Turkey have dropped sharply (60% decline), with cancellations surging by 250%, according to MakeMyTrip.

Flipkart halted bookings for flights, hotels, and holiday packages to Turkey as an act of solidarity with India's national sovereignty, reported Reuters.

Aviation and Security Measures:

India revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground handling company Celebi Aviation, which operated at major Indian airports including Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, citing national security concerns.

Air India urged Indian authorities to prevent IndiGo from leasing aircraft from Turkish Airlines due to security and business concerns linked to Turkey’s support for Pakistan.

Education and Cultural Boycott:

Indian universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, and Maulana Azad National Urdu University suspended academic collaborations and MoUs with Turkish universities.

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) announced a complete boycott of Turkey for film shoots and cultural collaborations, banning Indian film projects from shooting in Turkey or working with Turkish artists.

Trade and Business Impact:

India canceled a $2.3 billion shipbuilding consultancy contract with Turkey’s Anadolu Shipyard, reported Deutsche Welle. The deal involved constructing five Fleet Support Ships for the Indian Navy at India's Hindustan Shipyard, with technology and engineering support from Anadolu.

However, the report added that the cancellation was done before the recent spat, in order to boost Atmanirbhar Bharat. “Officially, India cited its policy to boost local shipbuilding capacity as the reason for the termination”, the German media house quoted an National Security Council Secretariat official.

Turkish contractors and firms operating in India are being phased out or replaced by local or other international partners.

India's Contribution to Turkey's Tourism Sector

Approximately 3.3 lakh (330,000) Indian tourists visited Turkey in 2024. These tourists collectively spent an estimated $350–400 million (around ₹3,000 to ₹4,300 crore), according to several media reports.

To break down the figures, mentioned by Cox & Kings to HT Lifestyle :

• Number of Indian tourists to Turkey in 2024: about 3.3 lakh (330,000).
• Estimated spending by Indian tourists in Turkey in 2024: between $350 million and $400 million (approximately ₹3,000 to ₹4,300 crore).