Modi govt isn't ending ties with Pakistan's friend Turkey due to this reason, a complete ban could harm...

India is treading carefully when it comes to banning trade with Turkey, despite rising public anger over Turkey’s support to Pakistan. For many days, “boycott Turkish products” was trending on social media. Several Indian companies and institutions even cancelled deals with Turkish businesses. Even apple producers from Himachal Pradesh and marble traders from Rajasthan took a strong stand against imports from Turkey. There were also growing calls to completely ban Turkish goods in India. However, the Indian government has not gone for a full ban yet—and the reason lies in trade economics.

According to reports, India currently has a trade surplus of $2.73 billion with Turkey. This means India exports more to Turkey than it imports. A complete ban could harm Turkish businesses, but it would also directly impact Indian exporters, especially in key sectors like engineering, electronics, and chemicals.

According to The Indian Express, a Commerce Ministry official said, “We have received several requests to stop imports from Turkey. However, we must also consider the interests of our exporters. A trade ban can give a strong geopolitical message, but the question is, how far are we willing to take it?”

In the financial year 2024–25, India exported goods worth $5.72 billion to Turkey. Out of this, engineering goods alone made up $3 billion. Around 35–40% of these exports came from the MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) sector, highlighting how deeply small Indian businesses are tied to trade with Turkey.

Meanwhile, Turkey imported $2.99 billion worth of goods from India. This included $270.83 million worth of gold and $107 million worth of fruits and nuts, including apples. Interestingly, imports of fruits and nuts rose by about 10% compared to the previous year.

While national security concerns have led to some actions against Turkish firms, India’s overall trade strategy remains cautious. The government is trying to balance geopolitical interests with economic realities, especially to protect domestic exporters and small businesses that depend on the Turkish market.