'Ban Turkish apples or impose higher duties': Himachal farmers join boycott chorus after Ankara's drone support to Pakistan

Anger against Turkey's support to Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan tensions is spilling into the domestic trade space, with apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla demanding an immediate ban on the import of Turkish apples. "Turkey stood with Pakistan in the recent tensions. There are more countries like China and Iran from which we import apples. Himachal, Kashmir, and Uttarakhand produce apples well. We should not be importing apples at all,” Shimla-based apple grower Aman Dogra told news agency ANI. "Even if we import, the duties must be higher, as Indian families depend solely on apple production."

Dogra also highlighted the improved systems introduced by Indian corporates like Adani, which have helped reduce damage and ensure timely payments. "If Adani buys more of our produce, then our imports will decrease. The prices of our apples will also improve," he said. "If the import is stopped completely, it would be perfect for the farmers."

This local protest reflects a wider national sentiment against Turkey, which has come under fire for sending drones to Pakistan during the recent military conflict and publicly backing Islamabad after Indian airstrikes targeted terror camps across the border.

Earlier today, ORF senior fellow Sushant Sareen called for the complete removal of Turkish firms from India. "It's a Turkish company and that's a good enough reason to throw them out. Turks support terrorists...They are not a friendly country,” he said, targeting Turkish aviation firm Çelebi.

Sareen said that Turkey was involved in hostile anti-India propaganda and was involved in sinister activity to incite and instigate and indoctrinate Indian Muslims. "Indians are not safe in Turkey and there is no reason why these terrorists should be given business in India. Go to Pakistan and get whatever you can from that bankrupt country," he said.

The calls for boycott aren't limited to trade. Indian travellers are now actively cancelling holidays to Turkey and Azerbaijan. According to MakeMyTrip, bookings to the two countries dropped 60%, while cancellations surged 250% in just one week. EaseMyTrip also recorded a 22% rise in Turkey cancellations and 30% for Azerbaijan.

Travel portals like ixigo have suspended hotel and flight bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China, while alternate destinations like Greece, Serbia, Georgia, Thailand, and Vietnam are gaining popularity.

Backing this growing movement, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar posted on Facebook: “The boycott of Turkey is organic and spontaneous, and I’m completely in support of it.” He added that India had supported Turkey during the 2023 earthquake through Operation Dost, and its recent stand “is deeply unacceptable.”

"Indians should choose to spend, invest in, and welcome investments from countries that share a civilizational outlook… that stand for peaceful coexistence,” Chandrasekhar said, tagging his post with hashtags like #BoycottTurkey, #SayNoToTurkey, and #ZeroToleranceToTerrorism.