Srinagar, May 16: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) announced that it had suspended its MoU with Inonu University in Turkey. This move comes amid an intensifying boycott of Turkish goods and services in India, spurred by Turkey’s vocal support for Pakistan following India’s military action under Operation Sindoor.
After Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, Hyderabad’s Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) on Thursday cut all ties with the Yunus Emre Institute in Turkey. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) announced the suspension of its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Turkey’s Inonu University, citing “national security concerns.” The agreement, signed on February 3, 2025, was intended to last three years and focused on fostering cross-cultural academic collaboration and student exchange programs.
The following day, Jamia Millia Islamia also declared that any MoU with institutions linked to the Turkish government is “suspended with immediate effect.”
These decisions come amid growing public outrage in India over Turkey’s alignment with Pakistan, particularly after India extended aid to Turkey following the 2023 earthquake. Reports of Turkey backing Pakistan during Operation Sindoor have further intensified the sentiment, sparking nationwide calls from groups like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch to boycott Turkish goods and tourism.
Moreover, many online travel platforms have issued advisories urging people to avoid travelling to Turkey, and some of them have discontinued promotions for tourism to the country. According to media reports, many travel platforms have reported a 60% drop in bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan, along with a significant surge in cancellations. Calls for a tourism boycott of both Turkey and Azerbaijan are gaining rise in India, after the two countries’ vocal support for Pakistan and their criticism of India’s counter-terror strikes across the border.
In a similar move, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) released a statement on Wednesday, urging the Indian film industry to refrain from choosing Turkey as a shooting location for future film projects.
