Indian Travel Platforms Boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan Over Border Tensions

Indian travel platforms are facing a dispute after they have decided to stop bookings for Turkey and Azerbaijan. This decision is due to these countries not supporting India in the ongoing border tensions with Pakistan.

Travel Platforms' Response

MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip, and EaseMyTrip have stopped offering flights, hotels, and holiday bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

These platforms say their decision is based on India's national interest and sovereignty.

They also warn against non-essential travel to these countries.

What’s Happening with Other Platforms?

MakeMyTrip and Cleartrip still offer flights to Istanbul and Baku, but they have ended all promotions and deals for Turkey and Azerbaijan.

EaseMyTrip also spoke out on social media, advising against travel to these countries, but they didn’t stop booking flights completely because Istanbul is a common layover point for flights to Europe.

Concern Over Chinese Investment

EaseMyTrip's founder, Nishant Pitti, raised concerns that Indian defense personnel might be at risk when using travel platforms like MakeMyTrip.

He said these platforms share sensitive information like defense IDs and flight details, which could be used by India’s adversaries to track military movements.

MakeMyTrip has a major Chinese investor, and this raised security concerns about sharing such personal and military information.

Turkey's Tourism Response

Even though India’s travel platforms are boycotting Turkey, the Turkey Tourism Board has urged Indian travelers to continue visiting their country. It said that many depends a lot on tourism in the country and many are unaware of the escations between India and Pakistan.

Indian travel companies have stopped bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan due to political tensions and security concerns. These companies are taking a stand to protect India's interests and prevent sensitive information from being misused.