Brief Context
In News Indias trade relations with Türkiye and Azerbaijan are expected to come under strain due to Ankara and Baku backing Islamabad and condemning Indias recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. People-to-people ties There are currently around 3,000 estimated Indian nationals in Türkiye, including 200 students. Similarly, the Indian community in Azerbaijan comprises more than 1,500 people.
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Syllabus :GS 2/IR
In News
- India’s trade relations with Türkiye and Azerbaijan are expected to come under strain due to Ankara and Baku backing Islamabad and condemning India’s recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan.
Background
- India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation for the Kashmir’s Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
- All subsequent retaliations for Pakistani offensives were carried out under ‘Operation Sindoor’.
- During the conflict, Pakistan used Turkish drones in its failed attempt to target Indian military installations.
- India and Pakistan announced reaching an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea.
India’s Trade relationship with Türkiye and Azerbaijan
- A bilateral trade agreement was signed in 1973, followed by a pact on setting up an India, Turkiye Joint Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation in 1983.
- India’s exports to Türkiye stood at USD 5.2 billion during Apr-Feb 2024-25 as against USD 6.65 billion in 2023-24.
- It accounts for only about 1.5 per cent of India’s total exports of USD 437 billion.
- India’s imports from Türkiye was USD 2.84 billion during Apr-Feb 2024-25 as against USD 3.78 billion in 2023-24. It accounts for only about 0.5 per cent of India’s total imports of USD 720 billion.
- India’s exports to Azerbaijan stood at only USD 86.07 million during Apr-Feb 2024-25 as against USD 89.67 million in 2023-24. It accounts for a meagre 0.02 per cent of India’s total outbound shipments.
- Imports from Azerbaijan were USD 1.93 million during Apr-Feb 2024-25 as against USD 0.74 million in 2023-24.
- It accounts for a meagre 0.0002 per cent of India’s total inbound shipments.
- Imports from Azerbaijan were USD 1.93 million during Apr-Feb 2024-25 as against USD 0.74 million in 2023-24.
- India has a trade surplus with both nations.
Major products traded between these countries
- India’s exports to Türkiye include: Mineral fuels and oil (USD 960 million in 2023-24); electrical machinery and equipment; auto and its parts; organic chemicals; pharma products; tanning and dyeing items; plastic, rubber; cotton; man-made fibres and filaments, iron and steel.
- Imports: Different types of marbles (blocks and slabs); fresh apples (about USD 10 million), gold, vegetables, lime and cement; mineral oil (USD 1.81 billion in 2023-24); chemicals; natural or cultured pearls; iron and steel.
- India’s exports to Azerbaijan : Tobacco and its products (USD 28.67 million in 2023-24); tea, coffee; cereals; chemicals; plastic; rubber; paper and paper board; and ceramic products.
- Imports include: Animal fodder; organic chemicals; essential oils and perfumery; and raw hides and skins and leather (USD 1.52 million during Apr-Feb 2024-25). In 2023, India was the third-largest destination for Azerbaijan’s crude oil.
People-to-people ties
- There are currently around 3,000 estimated Indian nationals in Türkiye, including 200 students.
- Similarly, the Indian community in Azerbaijan comprises more than 1,500 people.
- As per estimates, about 3 lakh Indian tourists visited Türkiye in 2023 and over 2 lakh to Azerbaijan.
Emerging Issues
- Türkiye and Azerbaijan may come under strain because the two countries have criticised India’s strike on terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
- Islamabad has also used Turkish drones in the conflict.
- India witnessed a surge in calls to boycott both countries.
- This led to mass cancellations of travel bookings, withdrawal of tour promotions by Indian operators, and the suspension of academic MoUs by institutions like IIT Bombay and JNU.
- In fact, Indian traders too have started boycotting Turkish products such as apples and marble.
Source :TH