Pressure on govt to review trade ties with Turkey, Azerbaijan; no decision as of now

Amidst calls to suspend trade ties, India is reviewing its trade relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan but is unlikely to go for a full suspension, which it has done in the case of Pakistan. As per official sources, as of now, there is no ban on trade with Turkey but a decision on this will be taken at an appropriate time.

This comes in the wake of the Pahalgam attack with Turkey and Azerbaijan both supporting Pakistan after the military strikes by India as part of Operation Sindoor.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack that led to the death of 26 civilians, India has banned all trade with Pakistan, including a ban on all imports originating from or transiting through Pakistan.

There have been calls for a similar restriction on trade with Turkey and Azerbaijan. On Friday, at a National Conference of Trade Leaders, convened by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), more than 125 top leading trade leaders from across the country resolved to boycott all forms of trade and commercial engagement with Turkey and Azerbaijan, including travel and tourism.

Crude petroleum, gold, aircrafts, granite, and marbles and fruits such as apples are some of India’s key imports from Turkey while exports include aluminium products, auto components, aircrafts and telecom instruments.

In recent years, India’s trade with Turkey has been falling after touching a peak in FY23. As per official data, India’s total exports to Turkey between April 2024 and February 2025 fell by 14.8% to $5.21 billion while imports contracted by 17.25% to $2.8 billion.

India’s trade with Azerbaijan is even lesser. India's exports to Azerbaijan stood at only $86.07 million during April to February 2024-25 while imports from Azerbaijan were $1.93 million in the period. Key exports from India to Azerbaijan include tobacco, coffee and tea while imports include animal fodder, organic chemicals, essential oils, and perfumery.