Indian grocery stores and major online fashion retailers have joined the ongoing boycott of Turkish products — blocking products ranging from chocolates and coffee to cosmetics to clothing. The development comes days after several trade associations announced a boycott of the country and its products following its ‘support’ for Pakistan amidst Operation Sindoor.
According to a Reuters report, the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation, which supplies 13 million mom-and-pop grocery stores, said it was launching an “indefinite and total boycott” of all Turkish-origin goods, which would affect chocolates, wafers, jams, biscuits, and skincare products.
Furthermore, the report says, Indian fashion websites Flipkart and Reliance’s Ajio have removed numerous Turkish apparel brands, according to three sources and a review of their websites. AJIO removed Turkish brands, including Trendyol, Koton, and LC Waikiki, from its app, and many of those listings were shown as out of stock on Monday.
Myntra, another leading fashion website, has also removed listings of Turkish brands including Trendyol, known for women’s clothing, street and casual wear brand LC Waikiki, and jeans producer Mavi, said one source with direct knowledge.
National interest first
The ‘Boycott Turkey’ call comes after Turkey and Azerbaijan openly expressed support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, which was carried out in response to the Pahalgam attack on civilians.
This was exacerbated by alleged reports that Turkey has provided drones, arms, and support to Pakistan during the India-Pakistan conflict. This has fueled public anger and strengthened the ‘Nation’s First’ sentiment across India.
The e-commerce companies, which have delisted the Turkish products, have cited national interest as the reason behind the delisting, the Reuters report says. Myntra removed the brands in the national interest, a source said to Reuters. Another source at Reliance Ajio said to Reuters that Turkish products are delisted on the App because of national interest.
The Indian government has not ordered companies to boycott Turkey, and India’s annual $2.7 billion in goods imports from Turkey are dominated by mineral fuels and precious metals. But a consumer boycott could still be significant. AICPDF said its ban would affect around 20 billion rupees ($234 million) of food products. Apparel imports were worth $81 million last year, Reuters reported.
Boycott-Turkey call by trade association
Apple traders in Pune have given a call to boycott Apple imports from Turkey. A report by ANI says that the traders have decided to source apples from alternative sources like Iran, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and other regions.
Similarly, the Udaipur Marble Processors Association, representing 125 marble firms, has urged the government to immediately halt Turkish marble imports, highlighting national security concerns over economic gains, according to media reports.