Udaipur halts rs 3,000 cr marble imports from Turkey for backing Pakistan in Op Sindoor; ‘India needs no allies', say netizens
Udaipur's marble industry, one of Asia's largest, has suspended imports from Turkey amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The move came after Turkey publicly supported Pakistan during the recent conflict. Local marble traders have also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting strong action against Turkey.
Imports worth rs 3,000 crore affected
India imports 14–16 lakh tonnes of marble annually, with 70% coming from Turkey. Udaipur alone hosts around 125 marble processing units, of which 40–50 directly import Turkish marble. With the boycott now in effect, marble imports worth an estimated Rs 3,000 crore have been impacted.
Udaipur traders appeal to PM Modi
The Udaipur Marble Processors Committee, led by its president Kapil Surana, has appealed to the central government to officially end trade with Turkey and other nations that sided with Pakistan. 'We are one of the biggest markets for Turkish marble. We have urged the PM to take firm action,' said Surana. The committee is also in touch with marble associations across India for a broader boycott.
#WATCH | Udaipur, Rajasthan: Udaipur marble traders end business with Turkiye for siding with Pakistan amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. Kapil Surana, President of Udaipur Marble Processors Committee, says, "Udaipur is Asia's biggest exporter of marbles. All… pic.twitter.com/s9pqwuLjrG
Support for Indian marble likely to grow
According to Surana, the decision to stop trade with Turkey sends a strong signal that the Indian government has the full backing of industries. 'If we stop trade with Turkey, the demand for Indian marble will grow,' he said. Traders believe this will also help promote Indian products and reduce dependence on politically sensitive imports.
Other regions may join the boycott
Udaipur's call for boycott may soon be joined by other key marble hubs such as Kishangarh, Rajsamand, and Chittorgarh. These regions are also significant players in India's marble market and have been importing cost-effective marble with a wide range of colors from Turkey.
Public sentiment reflects shift in trade and tourism
The boycott by Udaipur traders follows a broader sentiment shift in India against Turkey and Azerbaijan. Both nations had condemned India's Operation Sindoor strikes targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Indian tourism platforms like EaseMyTrip and Ixigo have also advised against travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan citing security and diplomatic tensions.
Social media backs the move
Reactions on social media largely supported the marble traders' decision. One user wrote, 'India has a population of 150 crores, which is four times that of Turkey and Pakistan combined. A united India needs no allies.'
India has a population of 150 crores, which is 4 times the population of Turkey & Pakistan combined. A united India needs no allies! https://t.co/JBCql6HlEl
Another added, 'If we are boycotting Turkey and Azerbaijan, China should definitely be on the list too.'
Agree with you if we are boycotting Azerbaijan and Turkey then definitely China too should be on top for boycott
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
33 minutes ago
- News18
LeT, Jaish Tap Bangladesh Radical Networks, Use Campuses To Target Indian Students
Last Updated: Top intelligence sources reveal Bangladesh-based groups are now providing legitimate access to LeT and Jaish in universities, where they target Indian students for radicalisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed have joined hands with radical groups in Bangladesh, opening a new front to radicalise Indian youth, CNN-News18 has learnt from top intelligence sources. A recent speech by Saifullah Kasuri, aka Khalid, in Kasur, Lahore, which has gone viral and is now circulating among radical groups, referenced Bengal and the division of the region on May 28. The speech is being actively used in radical circles to fuel propaganda. Bangladesh-based groups are now providing legitimate access to LeT and Jaish in universities, where they target Indian students for radicalisation. These India-based groups are also collaborating with Jamaat-e-Islami, creating a cross-border ideological network. LeT's exploitation of Bangladeshi universities is built on three key pillars: ideological alignment with local radicals, institutional decay, and cross-border impunity. Backed by ISI, LeT operates through multi-layered strategies combining ideological networks, institutional vulnerabilities, and cross-border operational logistics. LeT coordinates with Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir to infiltrate campuses. Shibir grants access to student networks, hostels, and Islamic study circles, which are then used for recruitment. Following the restoration of Jamaat-e-Islami's legitimacy post-2024, this access has become more streamlined. Groups such as Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B) and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), both linked to LeT, operate madrasas near universities. These madrasas indoctrinate students with Wahhabi-Salafi ideologies, framing education as jihad for Islamic revival. UK-based front organisations have also funded radical madrasas that later recruit university students. Shibir members invite Indian students into Islamic study circles, blending religious discussions with LeT propaganda videos. Events at the University of Dhaka have glorified Kashmir terrorists killed as martyrs. LeT's attack footage from India is shared through encrypted apps such as Telegram and Signal, with videos from incidents like the Pahalgam attacks being circulated to incite anti-India sentiments. Radical groups offer scholarships, flood relief, and financial aid to economically vulnerable Indian students. Following the 2024 floods, Jamaat distributed aid along with radical literature. Senior student 'mentors" isolate Indian youth, presenting radicalisation as identity preservation, while enforcing conservative dress codes such as beards and veils to build group loyalty. LeT is also using Bangladesh as a transit hub. Indian students radicalised in Dhaka or Chittagong are sent to LeT camps in Pakistan via Myanmar or Nepal, often under the guise of educational tours. They portray India as oppressing Muslims, leveraging events like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and incidents of communal violence, such as the 2023 temple vandalism to validate jihadist narratives. The post-2024 interim government in Bangladesh lifted bans on Jamaat-e-Islami and allied groups, appointing radicals to key positions, including the Hizb-ut-Tahrir founder as Home Secretary. This has enabled LeT affiliates like Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) to operate openly on campuses. Government concessions to Hefazat-e-Islam, such as compulsory Islamic education, allow madrasas to teach jihadist ideologies unchallenged. Universities have also adopted gender-segregated curricula, normalising extremist norms. Bangladesh's lax NGO oversight, coupled with hundi remittances and money laundering—both significant contributors to its GDP—allow LeT to mask funding as charitable donations. LeT receives funds via NGOs from the Middle East, Gulf, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, under the pretext of reviving Islamic heritage and campus charities. Radicalised students returning to India are deployed as operatives. HuJI-B, JMB, and LeT proxies maintain around 40 sleeper cells in Assam and Nagaland, using Bangladesh-trained Indians to carry out attacks. LeT has also utilised Bangladeshi routes for India-bound operations. The 2025 Pahalgam attack involved a LeT operative who had met a Bangladeshi official prior to the operation. Anti-minority violence in Bangladesh — where nearly 2,200 Hindu-targeted incidents were reported in 2024 — spills over into India, intensifying Hindu-Muslim tensions and aiding in jihadist recruitment.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
NRIs in the Gulf show keen interest in India's real estate industry as prices cool down
Indian expats in the UAE and Gulf may find this a timely moment to invest in the Indian property market, as major cities show signs of slowing price growth after three years of rapid gains. High demand from local buyers had previously created strong competition for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), but market dynamics are beginning to shift, according to a report by Gulf News. The change is prompting many NRIs in the Gulf to re-evaluate whether to invest in Indian real estate or explore property purchases locally in the UAE. 'More than ever, Gulf's NRI buyers are worried whether it makes any sense to buy or build a costly home in India and have it rented out or kept vacant,' said a property advisor. Another deciding factor is education. Expats increasingly base new home purchases in India on whether their children are pursuing higher studies in the country. Meanwhile, city markets are tightening, especially in the affordable and mid-range segments. 'Several cities – including Mumbai , Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Delhi-NCR – are now facing a genuine crunch in entry-level inventory,' said Azaz Motiwala, founder of Ikon Marketing Consultants to Gulf News. 'This supply tightening is most evident in the affordable and mid. segments, where steady demand is not being matched by fresh launches.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Linda Kozlowski, 67, Shows Off Her Perfect Figure In A New Photo Today's NYC Undo While cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad posted modest 5% price increases in early 2025, they remain below the double-digit gains of previous years. Overall, price growth in most metros has slowed to single digits. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) On the investment front, NRIs are also showing interest in fractional ownership of commercial properties, especially in the Rs 1 million to Rs 2.5 million range. These investments are reportedly yielding 8–10% annual returns, according to Anarock. Live Events Mortgage rates have also begun to shift in favor of buyers. 'Leading banks in India have reduced their lending rates by 5–10 bps in May 2025 (from the peaks in mid-2024),' said Owen. 'However, loan demand is not linked solely to interest rates – overall sentiment, which is significantly influenced by the geopolitical environment, also plays a big role.' Luxury and ultra-luxury housing continue to dominate new supply. 'Driven by steady demand, luxury and ultra-luxury homes – priced from Rs 15 million – dominated new supply in Q1-25 with a 42% share,' Owen added. With prices cooling, financing improving, and supply shifting, NRIs may find new opportunities in India's evolving real estate market.
Mint
39 minutes ago
- Mint
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson says Pakistan airspace ban adding to flying costs
The continuing ban for Indian airlines in using Pakistani airspace is adding flying hours for non-stop flights and will weigh down Air India Ltd.'s path to profitability, its top executive said in an interview. 'The impact is significant but we have been able to sustain non-stop operations' to most destinations in North America and Europe, Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said in a Bloomberg TV interview Monday. 'It'll certainly hit our bottomline.' The airspace curbs have increased flying time for west-bound flights from India by an hour or so, according to Wilson, who declined to give details on the discussions the Tata Group-owned carrier was having with stakeholders on this front. The armed conflict between India and Pakistan that erupted May 7 was the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades, with both sides trading drone and missile strikes besides artillery and small arms fire along their shared border. It was triggered by a gruesome attack on civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22. While a ceasefire was announced on May 10, Pakistan has extended the airspace ban for Indian airlines until June 24. Geopolitical strife has been complicating flying routes and business models for airlines globally in the past few years as they skirt conflict zones. Tariffs are also now a closely watched development for the sector. 'We want certainty. Uncertainty is difficult when you are making investment decisions,' Wilson said, adding that this was a common theme at the ongoing aviation industry event in New Delhi. So far, Air India sees no impact of tariffs on travel flows for its geography and markets. The recent showdown between the US President Donald Trump and Harvard University has added another layer of complication for international fliers especially those looking to study in American institutions. Pointing to anecdotal stories, Wilson said that there seems to be some shift in the large student population from India that usually vies to be on US campuses. 'You hear people thinking of alternatives,' he said. 'Obviously, it's a relatively new development, so people are still digesting it but it does seem that people are more willing to look at alternative locations than perhaps they were before.' Wilson, who steered the massive merger of Tata-owned carriers Air India and Vistara last year, declined to comment on media stories on the airline's discussions with plane makers to buy more narrowbody jets. Air India, the unprofitable carrier which the Tata conglomerate acquired from the Indian government in 2021, will start receiving new planes it had ordered toward the end of this year, according to Wilson. The deliveries are 'later than we hoped, slower than we hoped,' he said. 'It is constraining our ambitions a little bit in the short term but the long term opportunity for this market is massive, so we are very, very confident.' More stories like this are available on Disclaimer: This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
