Ban comes after MEA’s observation of Turkey’s support for Pak during Operation Sindoor
In a strong response to misinformation campaigns amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, India on Wednesday blocked the X (formerly Twitter) handle of Turkish public broadcaster TRT World. When users attempted to access the handle, they were met with the message: “Account withheld. @trtworld has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”
Turkey faces backlash for supporting Pakistan
The action comes after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) observed Turkey’s open support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, India’s precision strikes in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.
While the TRT World website and Instagram accounts remain accessible, the move signals India’s strong diplomatic stance against perceived propaganda efforts during the ongoing conflict.
The development coincided with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s post declaring, “Long live Pakistan-Turkey friendship,” further escalating tensions.
China’s Global Times, Xinhua also blocked over fake reports
In a related move, India also blocked the X accounts of China’s Global Times and Xinhua News Agency after they published false claims about Indian losses.
Global Times published a report claiming, based on alleged Pakistani military sources and citing Xinhua, that Pakistan had shot down a third Indian fighter jet following India’s strikes.
India’s Embassy in Beijing responded sharply, posting on X: “Dear Global Times, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation.”
The Embassy further condemned the spread of unverified narratives, stating that such actions represent a serious lapse in journalistic ethics and responsibility.
Broader diplomatic strain over Arunachal Pradesh
These media actions follow a broader diplomatic fallout after China attempted to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh, referring to it as southern Tibet.
India categorically rejected the move, with MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterating: “Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral part of India.” He further dismissed China’s repeated efforts as “vain and preposterous.”
Turkish, Azerbaijani tourism faces Indian backlash
Amid Turkey and Azerbaijan’s support for Pakistan, thousands of Indian tourists are reportedly cancelling trips to both countries.
Several Indian travel platforms have suspended bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan, reflecting public sentiment and diplomatic fallout from these nations’ stances during Operation Sindoor.
Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China have all come out in open support of Islamabad, fueling the growing diplomatic and public backlash within India.
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