Geopolitics At Boarding Gate: Indian Tourist Footfall Drops 63% To Azerbaijan, 34% To Turkey | Exclusive

It is official. Indian tourists shunned Turkey and Azerbaijan in 2025 post Operation Sindoor, given how these two countries had backed Pakistan.

Annual tourism data of both these countries has been accessed by CNN-News18, which shows a big drop of 63 per cent in the number of Indian tourists going to Azerbaijan between June and December last year, compared to the same period in 2024. There is a drop of 34 per cent in the number of Indian tourists going to Turkey in the same period compared to 2024. Operation Sindoor was paused by India on May 10 last year, after which the role played by Turkey and Azerbaijan in backing Pakistan had come to light. Boycott calls for both countries were issued.

Data accessed by CNN-News18 shows that while 1.53 lakh

Indian tourists visited Azerbaijan between June and December 2024, the number fell sharply to about 57,000 Indian tourists in the same period last year. Over two lakh Indian tourists went to Turkey between June and December 2024 – 2.05 lakh to be precise. However, this number also fell to about 1.35 lakh in the same months last year. Each month last year, since June, saw a consistent drop in Indian tourists going to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Turkey’s role was exposed last May with the discovery of Turkish-made drones being used by Pakistan against India during Operation Sindoor. Turkey also adopted a blatant diplomatic stance in favour of Pakistan. Since then, a “Boycott Turkey” campaign has emerged in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave a clear message last June when he visited Cyprus, and, along with President Nikos Christodoulides, he went to the historic centre of Nicosia, where they were given a guided tour along the United Nations ceasefire line, a symbol of the island’s long-standing division. Christodoulides also showed PM Modi the mountainous region in northern Cyprus, which has remained under Turkish occupation since 1974.

Prime Minister Modi last year also told Parliament that only three of the 193 member countries of the United Nations favoured Pakistan, while the remaining nations stood in India’s support during Operation Sindoor.

PM Modi was referring to Turkey, China, and Azerbaijan—nations that have often stood by Islamabad on the international stage, including at the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The three countries had given statements in favour of Islamabad when the Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Turkey’s stance had prompted boycott calls in India, and travel portals like MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, and Cleartrip said they would not promote Turkish tourist packages.

In its stance and statements after the Pahalgam terror attack, the Turkish government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a full pro-Pakistan line. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir also visited Turkey to thank Erdoğan for support during tensions with India during Operation Sindoor.

Till May last year, Azerbaijan described India as one of the key target markets for its tourism sector. “The number of guests, overnight stays, and expenditures is growing, and India is among the top three countries visiting Azerbaijan. In 2024, Indian arrivals reached 243,589—a 108% increase compared to 117,302 in 2023,” says the Azerbaijan Tourism Department.

However, 2025 has proved to be a different story.