The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has decided to suspend its agreements with Turkish universities amid growing calls for a boycott and demands to sever all ties with Turkey over its support and military assistance to Pakistan during the recent escalation with India.
“Due to the current geopolitical situation involving Turkey, IIT Bombay is processing suspension of its agreements with Turkish universities until further notice,” the institute announced on Saturday.
Turkey reportedly supplied drones to Pakistan and deployed military operatives to assist in countering Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory military action following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Turkish-made kamikaze drones were recovered on Indian soil after the Pakistan Army launched a drone offensive. In a show of solidarity, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the phone. Additionally, Turkish military assets, including six aircraft and a warship, were dispatched to Pakistan amid the rising tensions.
These developments have triggered widespread calls for a boycott of Turkish products and a suspension of institutional ties with Turkey.
Before IIT Bombay, other premier institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia had either suspended collaborations with Turkish universities or were considering similar actions.
JNU suspended its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkey’s Inonu University, while Jamia Millia Islamia halted all forms of collaboration with Turkish institutions, citing national security concerns.
“JNU has suspended the MoU due to national security considerations as JNU stands with the nation and the armed forces, many of whom are JNU alumni,” JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said in a statement. The MoU between JNU and Inonu University was signed on February 3 for a period of three years and included plans for faculty and student exchange programmes, among other academic collaborations.
Jamia Millia Islamia has also announced the suspension of “any form of collaboration with any Turkish educational institution, as well as with any Turkish establishment.”
According to reports, the University of Delhi is currently reviewing its international academic partnerships. “We are examining all the MoUs, and a decision will be taken after a thorough review,” a senior university official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The boycott has extended beyond academia, with traders refusing to stock Turkish goods and individuals cancelling travel plans to the West Asian nation. Online travel platforms such as EaseMyTrip and Ixigo have also issued advisories against visiting Turkey and other allied countries.