India targets Türkiye over supporting Pakistan, spares China and US

Turkish airport firm grounded, trade boycott looms, and academic ties severed as critics question Delhi’s selective punishment after Pakistan conflict

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — India is out to punish Türkiye for backing Pakistan in the latest armed standoff that nearly spiraled into full-scale war.

But even as the government acts decisively against Turkish interests, it has chosen not to confront China, which supplies Pakistan with advanced missiles and fighter jets, or the U.S., whose F-16s remain a very important part of Pakistan’s air force.

The centerpiece of India’s retaliation is the revocation of security clearance for Celebi Ground Handling India Private Limited, a Turkish company responsible for ground operations at nine major Indian airports.

The Civil Aviation Ministry announced that the clearance is “revoked with immediate effect in the interest of national security.”

This is India’s first direct punitive action against a Turkish enterprise in the wake of growing public outrage, following reports that Pakistan may have used Turkish-origin Singoor drones in retaliatory strikes after India’s Operation Sindoor on May 8.

While New Delhi is taking aggressive steps against Türkiye, analysts are raising uncomfortable questions about its silence on bigger players like China and the U.S.

Both countries continue to arm Pakistan with sophisticated weapons.

China has long supplied Pakistan with radar systems, missiles, and JF-17 aircraft, while the U.S. provides upgrades and maintenance for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.

Prominent voices are now questioning whether India’s actions are more symbolic than strategic.

Indian academic Omair Anas, a professor at Ankara’s Sultan Beziat University, offered a scathing critique:

“Do you really think the world will take these steps seriously? Indian universities cancelling dusty MoUs with Turkish institutions? Will Indian think tanks suspend research ties next? Will Indigo suspend code-sharing with Turkish Airlines? Will Indian drama producers stop selling content to Turkish TV, which is a huge market?”

The fallout has extended into the academic world, with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia both announcing they are suspending institutional collaborations with Turkish universities.

Though many of these MoUs have remained inactive for years, their symbolic cancellation is being used to amplify the message of protest.

“Even a junior officer in India’s national security establishment wouldn’t seriously link JNU or Jamia’s academic cooperation with Turkish universities to a threat. It’s not a strategy — it’s posturing,” Anas added.

JNU’s decision specifically referred to “national security,” despite no recent cooperation or tangible activity under the MoU with Inonou University, a secular Turkish institution.

Prof. Anas called the justification “absurd.”

“This is simply a case of tossing out a dusty file to make a political statement. Nothing more,” he said.

Turkish drones in Pakistan’s arsenal

India’s official trigger appears to be the alleged use of Turkish-made UAVs—namely the Asisguard SONGAR and Bayraktar TB2 drones.

Pakistan, however, did not use Bayraktar TB2 drones in the retaliatory attacks.

According to Indian military officials, over 300 SONGAR drones attempted to breach Indian airspace in coordinated waves on May 8.

The Turkish naval vessel TCG Büyükada docked in Karachi just days before the escalation, and a Turkish Air Force C-130 landed shortly ahead of the war like situation between the two countries.

Celebi Aviation operates two key arms in India—Celebi Airport Services India, which handles ramp services, aircraft movement, and flight operations; and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India, which oversees cargo logistics. These are sensitive operations requiring high-security oversight.

The revocation of Celebi’s clearance now forces Indian airports to scramble for alternative arrangements and sends a strong message to foreign firms working in strategic sectors.

Meanwhile, a social media-driven “Boycott Türkiye” campaign is sweeping India.

 Major Indian travel companies like Ixigo, EaseMyTrip, and Cox & Kings have stopped bookings to Türkiye. The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has urged its members to suspend all tours to the country.

“Blood and booking do not flow together,” said Ixigo CEO Aloke Bajpai, echoing public sentiment.

The fallout may be significant for Türkiye’s $61 billion tourism industry. In 2023 alone, 330,000 Indian tourists visited the country, up from just 119,000 a decade earlier.

Trade is also under pressure. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is convening in New Delhi to consider a complete trade ban on Turkiye and Azerbaijan. In Pune, fruit traders have already stopped buying Turkish apples.

Political leaders across party lines have backed the boycott.

Murji Patel, Shiv Sena MP, led protests demanding Celebi’s contract be cancelled in Mumbai: “How can we allow this company to profit here while Turkiye supports Pakistan with the same money?”

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi rejected Turkish appeals not to cancel tourism plans, saying on social media: “No, Turkiye. Indians will not fund arms for Pakistan through tourism. Find your tourists elsewhere.”

Congress MP Kuldeep Singh Rathore echoed those views, demanding a ban on Turkish imports and reminding the public of India’s goodwill gesture during Türkiye’s 2023 earthquake relief.

“That support was not meant to be returned with betrayal. Stop all Turkish imports immediately,” he said.

This is not the first blow to India-Türkiye defence ties.

Last year, India scrapped a $2.3 billion contract two years ago with the Turkish TAIS consortium, which was to build five fleet support ships for the Indian Navy.

Combined with the current wave of institutional and economic pushback, diplomatic relations between the two countries now stand on precarious ground.

While Türkiye faces the brunt of India’s anger, experts say the absence of similar action against China or the US undermines the credibility of New Delhi’s position.

“Are we choosing only manageable targets?” asks academic Omair Anas.

“If India’s real concern is Pakistan’s military capabilities, why not confront those who enable them most? This is a nationalist spectacle, not a serious strategy.”