The Republic of Turkiye and Azerbaijan on Wednesday issued statements condemning Indian’s Operation Sindoor carried out against Pakistan’s terror hotbeds following the April 22 attack on tourists in the Valley. Following their solidarity with Pakistan, there was outrage on social media, with furious Indians calling for the boycott of both countries.
“Not surprised…Turkey – Pakistan, two sides of the same coin,” said one social media user. Another wrote, “Don’t mess with India,” before adding, “Pls remember what Indian Tourists did to the Maldives. No country dependent on tourism can afford to get on India’s wrong side. All it takes is one boycott trend….”
Before we look at more social media reactions, let us first dive into the statements released by Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Turkey condemned Operation Sindoor
Turkey backed Pakistan after India’s Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack, while also urging it to “refrain from unilateral actions”.
“The attack carried out by India last night (6 May) raises the risk of an all-out war. We condemn such provocative steps as well as attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure,” said the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement dated May 7.
It further stated, “We call on the parties to exercise common sense and refrain from unilateral actions. We expect that measures will be taken to reduce tensions in the region as soon as possible and that the necessary mechanisms, including in the field of counter-terrorism, will be put in place to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents,” before adding, “We also support Pakistan’s call for an investigation into the 22 April terrorist attack.”
‘We stand with Pakistan’: Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan and called on both India and Pakistan to resolve the conflict with “diplomatic means”.
“The Republic of Azerbaijan expresses its concern over the further escalation of tension between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. We condemn military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that killed and injured several civilians. Being in solidarity with the people of Pakistan, we express condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Azerbaijan, said in a statement.
It added, “We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means.”
Calls to boycott Azerbaijan and Turkey
“No more Baku visits, please. In 2024, Azerbaijan witnessed a significant surge in Indian tourists, with arrivals reaching 2,43,589. Show them the power of Indian tourists now!” said one social media user after Azerbaijan condemned Operation Sindoor and expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan.
“Time to boycott Azerbaijan. Too cocky a response from the country without understanding the dynamics,” said another.
A third joked, “Where is Azerbaijan located on the world map? Asking for a friend,” while a fourth said, “Ask them to keep quiet.”
“Shame on the Republic of Azerbaijan. By siding with Terroristan and mourning for the handlers of death, you’ve exposed where your moral compass truly points. India struck terror camps, not civilians. The real tragedy is Pakistan’s obsession with sheltering jihadists while pretending to be a victim. Azerbaijan’s statement reeks of hypocrisy and selective outrage. Stop sympathising with terrorism. Start standing for the truth,” yet another social media user.
One user simply wrote, “Boycott Turkey.”
“You just choose parties based on religion, so we don’t care about you. You can support your brothers in Pakistan, but there will be consequences for this,” said yet another furious Internet user.
One social media user shared screenshots of media articles when India sent humanitarian aid to quake-hit Turkey and called them “thankless”. “Thankless turkey, Operation Dost. We Indians will remember this.” Someone else chimed in, “You are the most ungrateful nation.”
Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian government after the dastardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people, including one Nepali citizen. The operation, carried out by the Indian Armed Forces, targeted nine terror hotbeds in Pakistan.
Rafale, Su-30 MKI, and Mirage 2000 jets were deployed to carry out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir without crossing LoC, according to government sources cited by CNBC-TV18.
The Ministry of Defence, in a statement, said that the Operation Sindoor was a “measured” one and “non-escalatory” in nature. It added, “No Pakistani military activities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and the method of execution.”