India counters Turkey
In February 2023, when Turkey and Syria faced a devastating earthquake, which killed almost 52,000 people, India was amongst the first countries to respond.
In February 2023, when Turkey and Syria faced a devastating earthquake, which killed almost 52,000 people, India was amongst the first countries to respond.
Operation Sindoor was fought as much through propaganda and misinformation as it was through military action across the border.
Washington is evaluating another round of direct talks with Tehran, with possible venues and timelines under review as both sides keep diplomatic channels active amid ceasefire pressure.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday said Israel views Syria as a space for regional expansion, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet is seeking to strengthen its influence in the Middle East by continuing the war in Gaza through various means.
Pope Leo XIV’s first foreign trip was never going to be a routine pastoral visit. The geographies he chose, Turkey and Lebanon, are not only symbolic crossroads of faiths but also corridors of conflict where diplomacy, identity and history constantly collide.
Operation Sindoor is now paused as India continues to monitor Pakistan’s actions and activities. The operation lasted four days at the end of which Pakistan, a nuclear weapons state, backed by China, Turkey and Azerbaijan, sought termination of hostilities.
US President Donald Trump said that Russia and Ukraine will begin ceasefire negotiations and that the Vatican has offered to host them.
India has always extended a hand of friendship across continents, across faiths, across ideologies. From standing by the Ottoman Empire during the Khilafat movement to cooperating with modern Turkey in trade, technology, education and cultural exchanges, India believed in longterm goodwill.
travel plans to Türkiye and Azerbaijan in significant numbers in the wake of their support to Pakistan during India’s recent military operation, codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’, in reponse to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The shift in the citizens’ choice of tourism destination came in response to the two countries openly backing Pakistan during heightened tensions triggered by India’s strike on terrorist infrastructure in the neighbouring country. Speaking to The Statesman, a prominent travel agency, wishing not to be named, suspended all flights and hotel bookings for Türkiye and Azerbaijan. “For Türkiye, we have seen cancellations of about 22 per cent, and for Azerbaijan, it is above 30 per cent. Last year, 3.8 lakh people travelled to either Azerbaijan or Türkiye from India,” a person associated with the company said. The representative of the agency further said that they estimated the economic implications of this travel shift, noting, “If one were to consider a modest ₹60,000-₹70,000 per passenger spent, it equates to somewhere around ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 crore spent by Indians in these countries. Now, this money will probably come back to us in the form of these countries choosing to give their arsenals, their weaponry, to Pakistan and hitting back at them, which is why we Indians need to know where to spend our money.” “Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won’t flow together,” Aloke Bajpai, CEO of Ixigo, asserted while announcing a suspension of all bookings to Türkiye, China, and Azerbaijan, echoing public sentiments against the countries perceived to be aligning with India’s adversaries. Meanwhile, one of the leading travel agencies confirmed a dramatic decline in the interest in the two destinations. “Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Türkiye decreasing by 60 per cent, while cancellations have surged by 250 per cent during the same period,” the company stated. Industry insiders suggest that this travel backlash is not only a reflects patriotic sentiment but also signals the growing influence of consumer choices in diplomatic contexts. With lakhs of Indian tourists now rerouting their travel plans, the financial impact on Türkiye and Azerbaijan’s tourism sectors could be significant. In addition to it, EaseMyTrip’s co-founder Nishant Pitti took to X to say, “Travel is a powerful tool. Let's not use it to empower those who don't stand with us. Last year, 287,000 Indians visited Türkiye & 243,000 visited Azerbaijan. Tourism drives their economies. Türkiye: 12% of GDP | 10% of jobs Azerbaijan: 7.6% of GDP | 10% of jobs.” "When these nations openly support Pakistan, should we fuel their tourism and their economies? Every rupee we spend abroad is a vote. Let's spend it where our values are respected. Jai Hind," he asserted.
Expressing solidarity with the Indian armed forces, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Smriti Irani has announced that she will donate her pension and other benefits received as a former Member of Parliament to the National Defence Fund of India.
