After JNU, Jamia, IIT Roorkee cancels MoU with Turkish university
IIT Roorkee stressed the institute remains committed to aligning its engagements with the national interest amid India-Turkey tensions over Ankara’s diplomatic and military ties with Islamabad
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee on Friday announced the cancellation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkey’s Inonu University, stressing the premier institute remains committed to aligning its international engagements with the national interest amid India-Turkey tensions over Ankara’s diplomatic and military ties with Islamabad.
Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, and Hyderabad’s Maulana Azad National Urdu University ended collaborations with Turkish universities earlier this week.
In a statement, IIT Roorkee said the MoU provided a framework for potential academic and research collaborations, including student and faculty exchanges. It said the Institute continues to pursue collaborations with global partners in harmony with its academic objectives and the broader vision of strengthening India’s research and innovation ecosystem.
IIT Roorkee signed the five-year MoU in January to promote academic, cultural, and social cooperation to enhance mutual understanding between the two institutions through collaborative initiatives, exchange of academic staff, students, administrative personnel, joint research projects, conferences, and symposia.
On Thursday, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security revoked the security clearance of Turkish-founded Çelebi Airport Services handling ground-based services at nine airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, citing national security concerns.
Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the order would apply to the Turkish firm’s associated companies in India. Celebi and associated companies have over 10,000 employees in India. They provide services such as passenger handling, baggage processing, aircraft loading, cargo management, and ramp services.
The company operates at Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Kannur, Chennai, and Goa (MOPA) airports. It also runs one of Delhi airport’s two cargo terminals as a joint venture with the airport operator.
The Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Maharashtra’s Vashi has announced a boycott of Turkish apples amid anger in India over Turkey’s support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, the military response to the killing of 25 tourists and a local resident in the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam
Indian launched the operation on May 7, striking nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that sparked a series of attacks and counter-attacks. Fighter jets, missiles, armed drones, artillery, and rockets were used in the attacks.
On the night of May 9-10, the Indian Air Force struck targets at 13 Pakistani air bases and military installations before the four-day hostilities stopped on Saturday as the two nations reached an understanding.
