Indian tourists contributed more than £300 million ($400m) to the Turkish economy last year - but calls for a boycott over the country's recent support for Pakistan could create an economic black hole in its tourism sector. Hostilities between India and Pakistan came to a head when Delhi launched airstrikes on its neighbour earlier this month, and despite a ceasefire in the region appearing to hold, tensions remain high between the two countries. Turkey was quick to back Pakistan after the escalation in conflict, warning about the risk of "all-out war" and calling for a "just and lasting peace in Kashmir through dialogue and cooperation".

Ankara's pledge of "solidarity" hasn't gone down well in India, however, with officials blocking the Turkish firm Celebi from operating at its airports last week. The high-level clamp-down on Turkish business has extended to civilian holidaymakers, according to the Economic Times, with a 250% spike in trip cancellations on platforms including EaseMyTrip and MakeMyTrip.

Aloke Bajpai, co-founder of bookings platform ixigo, also announced the suspension of flights to Turkey on X, adding, "Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won't flow together."

While Indian travellers only made up around 1% of the international tourist trade last year, they reportedly spent a total of around £400 million - money that could be wiped out if holidaymakers stick to their guns.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a former minister and member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, told the BBC: "Every hardworking Indian who travels abroad as a tourist understands today that their hard-earned rupee should not be spent on those who help the enemies of our country."

A spokesperson for MakeMyTrip added: "Indian travellers have expressed strong sentiments over the past week, with bookings for Azerbaijan and Turkey decreasing by 60%, while cancellations have surged by 250%."

Azerbaijan also announced full support for Pakistan amid the escalating tensions.

India and Pakistan agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire deal on May 10, after Delhi struck targets inside Pakistan earlier that week, which it claimed were linked to militants responsible for a tourist massacre in India-controlled Kashmir.

The two sides then exchanged heavy fire along their Kashmiri border, followed by missile and drone strikes, mainly targeting airbases and other military infrastructure.

Indian Prime Minister Modi said shortly afterwards that India had only "paused" its military action and would "retaliate on its own terms" to any future terror attack on the country. He told citizens that India would not "tolerate nuclear blackmailing", adding: "We will be monitoring every step of Pakistan."