Within days of realizing that Turkey had openly sided with Pakistan, and against India, the response began. Firstly, there were marble importers who decided to cancel their outstanding orders from Turkey. Then came the travel agencies that wanted to gain first blood with nationalism. Apart from these 2 triggers, most Indian tourists who were booked for Turkey and Azerbaijan, opted to cancel these tours, or even switched to places less hostile to India. For Turkey, it was loss of revenues; and loss of face. 

Turkey would have made a wager; and that seems to have backfired. Turkey also had other ideas as the head of OIC. For long, Turkey has envisaged getting back the influence that Turkey wielded. Turkey has been clear that, with Saudi Arabia, caught up with its own economic agenda, the Saudi government has little or no interest in emerging as a leader of the Islamic world. Also, Turkey’s role comes as a comfort zone for Pakistan, at a time when China was a lot more measured about its role in the India-Pak war. It is this dubious sweet spot that Turkey has tried to deviously exploit! 

In the past, such actions by Turkey would have led to protest to the Turkish government or a letter of condemnation. This time, India fought this perception war on multiple fronts. Firstly, there was the spate of cancellations that hit their tourism in a big way. Loss of orders is also going to hit Turkish companies. The Indian airport authorities have been quick to cancel the airport maintenance contract to Celebi of Turkey. Now, the DGCA has also asked airlines to cancel any kind of lease or code sharing deals that they have with Turkish airlines. All this is going to be a big hit for Turkey, especially if you consider the economics. 

India wants Turkey to feel the pinch! 

India has already made it very clear that order cancellations by the government are happening on the grounds of India’s internal security. After all, how can India entrust critical and sensitive services to companies domiciled in a hostile nation, especially when it is evident that such a role also creates risks in data sharing and allowing the personnel on Indian soil. Celebi has taken the legal route, but past experience has been that when it comes to national security issues, the courts will not do much. In the last 25 years since 9/11, the unwritten rule has been; no compromise with security. The reality is that India will not take it lying down, and Turkey has to pay for it!