KARACHI / BENGALURU – A diplomatic rift is intensifying as Azerbaijan and Turkiye face mounting backlash from Indian citizens and tourism operators after both countries publicly expressed support for Pakistan amid recent regional tensions.
Dr Ahmed Shaheer Oghlu, head of Azerbaijan’s Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, denounced the Indian response, particularly threats of travel boycotts and economic sanctions targeting Baku. In a strongly worded statement on social media platform X, Dr Oghlu accused Indian lobbies and tourism companies of attempting to pressure Azerbaijan into silence over its support for Pakistan.
“Those trying to threaten Azerbaijan with embargoes and travel boycotts should read history well!” he declared. “We firmly stand by our brother Pakistan in their just cause, and no political threat can change this stance.”
Dr Oghlu emphasized the strength of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan bond, insisting that no economic pressure—however damaging in the short term—would cause his nation to compromise its values. “Every boycott only makes us stronger. We are a nation that defends both our economy and our political independence,” he added, vowing that Azerbaijan would never trade honour and brotherhood for material gain.
His remarks came as Indian travelers began cancelling bookings to Azerbaijan and Turkiye en masse. Travel platforms such as MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, and ixigo reported sharp declines in new reservations and a surge in cancellations. MakeMyTrip noted a 60% drop in bookings to both destinations, accompanied by a 250% spike in cancellations over the past week. EaseMyTrip suspended all bookings to Azerbaijan and Turkiye, with CEO Rikant Pittie citing a 30% rise in cancellations for Azerbaijan and 22% for Turkiye, attributing it to “recent geopolitical tensions.”
The backlash was further echoed by EaseMyTrip founder Nishant Pitti, who posted on X, “When these nations openly support Pakistan, should we fuel their tourism and their economies?” He highlighted that 287,000 Indians visited Turkiye last year and 243,000 travelled to Azerbaijan, making both countries significant beneficiaries of Indian tourism.
In response to the growing nationalistic sentiment, many Indian travelers are now shifting their vacation plans to alternative destinations such as Georgia, Serbia, Greece, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Despite the mounting pressure, Dr Oghlu reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to its ally: “If Pakistan hadn’t stood by us before, tomorrow we wouldn’t be able to face ourselves. Long live the Azerbaijan that never sells its brotherhood!”
