VP Dhankhar backs 'economic nationalism' amid boycott of Turkey, Azerbaijan for support to Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday strongly backed "economic nationalism," amid trade and tourism boycott of Turkey and Azerbaijan following their support to Pakistan in the recent conflict with India.Also Read | 'Bharat has done it': Vice president Dhankhar likens Operation Sindoor to Osama bin Laden killing in Pakistan"Can we afford to empower countries which are inimical to our interests? Time has come when each one of us must deeply think about economic nationalism," news agency PTI quoted Dhankhar as saying at an event in the national capital."We can no longer afford, by travel or import, to improve economies of those countries because of our participation. And those countries, in times of crisis, are positioned against us," he added.He further stated that everything has to be "reckoned on the fulcrum of unflinching commitment to nationalism."Turkey has backed Pakistan and condemned India's strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, conducted under "Operation Sindoor." It has also repeatedly supported Islamabad on Kashmir.Pakistan also used Turkish drones on a large scale during the military conflict. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan, too, has expressed support for Islamabad.Turkey, Azerbaijan face backlash in IndiaSeveral universities have suspended their MoUs with Turkish universities, while online travel portals have suspended bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan. Indian tourists are also cancelling their trips to the two countries.Also Read | Backlash for support to Pakistan: Indians cancel trips to Turkey, Azerbaijan; travel portals report big dipThe government has withdrawn security clearance to Turkish firm Celebi, which handles ground operations at passenger and cargo terminals across nine airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Goa, Cochin and Kannur.