Indian tourists may give Turkey a miss

NEW DELHI: The failed coup targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is unlikely to impact the ties between India and Turkey or affect the miniscule Indian community

NEW DELHI: The failed coup targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is unlikely to impact the ties between India and Turkey or affect the miniscule Indian community in Istanbul and Ankara.

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It could, however, immediately impact tourists who have begun shunning Turkey after recent terror attacks. India and Turkey’ s historic connection dates back to the 15th century. However, Ankara’s partnership with Islamabad has come in the way of stronger relations with India in the modern era.

Turkey, which often voted against India on the Kashmir issue at the UN, has made some efforts in recent years to strengthen its ties with India and Pakistan. PM Narendra Modi attended the G20 Summit in Antalya last November and held a bilateral meeting with President Erdogan while foreign minister Sushma Swaraj travelled to Turkey in January 2015.

There has been steady growth in bilateral trade with the balance largely in India’s favour and an increase in Indian tourists visiting Turkey. However, the numbers dipped following a string of terror attacks allegedly by IS. According to Turkish Statistical Institution, Turkey’s imports from India during January-November 2015 were $5.11 billion while its exports to India in the same period were $606.8 million.