By Ravinder Singh Robin
Despite a recent diplomatic chill between Turkey and India, Turkish Airlines continues to operate a strong network of passenger and cargo flights from India, highlighting the growing trend where commercial interests often outweigh political tensions.
In April 2025, Turkey announced a partial downgrade of diplomatic ties with India, citing trade disagreements. The move was intensified by Turkey’s support for Pakistan during the post-Pahalgam conflict, where Ankara reportedly supplied armed drones and operatives to Islamabad. This support came in the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor—retaliatory airstrikes following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Despite India’s past aid to Turkey during the 2023 earthquake, President Erdogan’s continued “brotherly” remarks towards Pakistan sparked outrage in India and calls to boycott Turkish products and travel.
Yet, Turkish Airlines, the national carrier, has chosen to maintain its India operations—driven largely by profitable cargo business and its strategic role in global connectivity. As of December 2024, Turkish Airlines operated 56 weekly flights from 10 Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Amritsar, connecting them to Istanbul and onward to 352 destinations across 131 countries.
Passenger flights, while facing stiff competition from Emirates and Qatar Airways, continue to support Turkey’s visibility in India’s vast aviation market. However, it is the cargo segment that truly anchors the airline’s India strategy. In 2024, Turkish Cargo handled over 150,000 tonnes of freight from India—mainly pharmaceuticals, textiles, and electronics—generating an estimated $500 million from India alone. Globally, Turkish Cargo earned $3.5 billion in 2024, a 35% increase from 2023, with India playing a significant role in that growth.
Turkish Cargo operates nearly 7 dedicated freighter flights weekly from Delhi and Mumbai, apart from belly cargo in passenger flights. Its ground handling is managed by Çelebi Aviation at nine Indian airports. Istanbul’s location as a transshipment hub gives Turkish Airlines an edge in moving time-sensitive cargo efficiently to Europe, the Americas, and Africa.
While exact India-specific passenger figures are not public, Turkish Airlines’ partnership with IndiGo allows it to tap into domestic traffic across India, feeding passengers into its global routes.
In a world where geopolitical lines are often redrawn, Turkish Airlines’ continued engagement with India proves one thing: in aviation, economic logic can often fly higher than political posturing.