Several e-commerce platforms in India have begun dialling down the visibility of Turkish brands, with insiders suggesting the move is being made in alignment with India’s national interest. While there has been no official directive, multiple industry executives indicated that the shift is likely linked to the recent tightening of diplomatic and military ties between Turkey and Pakistan, following renewed India-Pakistan tensions.
An executive from a prominent online fashion retailer, reportedly speaking anonymously, confirmed the development. “Over the weekend, we decided to de-prioritise the visibility of Turkish brands on our platform. We are also evaluating whether to delist them entirely,” the executive said.
Brands reportedly affected by this quiet freeze-out include Trendyol, Mavi, Koton, Lc Waikiki, Oxxo, Grimelange, Penti, Ipekyol, and Dogo—well-known Turkish labels with a growing presence in India’s online fashion space.
This isn’t the first time India’s digital marketplace has been reshaped by geopolitical friction. In June 2020, Chinese fashion platform Shein was banned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, amid a broader crackdown on apps with links to China.
However, Shein has since re-entered the Indian market, this time via a strategic partnership with Reliance Retail, and now operates from Singapore.
The sentiment isn’t limited to online shopping. Indian travel companies have also begun restricting their engagement with Turkey and Azerbaijan—both of which have been vocal in their support of Pakistan in recent weeks.
Flipkart Travel and Cleartrip jointly announced the suspension of bookings for flights, hotels, and holiday packages to both countries. “Our stand is clear. Our loyalty, unwavering. We stand with India. Always,” the companies shared on social media platforms.
On May 10, Aloke Bajpai, CEO of Ixigo, announced that his platform would cease all bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. “Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won’t flow together,” Bajpai posted, underlining the emotional context driving the decision.
EaseMyTrip, another major player in India’s travel industry, also issued an advisory urging customers to avoid non-essential travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan.
There’s also a rising conversation around the money spent by Indian travellers in these regions. Business leader Harsh Goenka pointed out that Indian tourists contributed over ₹4,000 crore to Turkey and Azerbaijan’s economies last year, supporting jobs in tourism, hospitality, weddings, and aviation. “Plenty of beautiful places in India and the world. Please skip these two places,” Goenka posted on X.
While there’s been no formal statement from government departments instructing platforms to blacklist Turkish or related entities, the trend suggests a broader pattern of businesses aligning their practices with perceived national sentiment.