Aamir Khan has responded to heavy criticism over an old photo of him with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which resurfaced online after Turkey backed Pakistan following India’s recent military action under Operation Sindoor.
In an interview, Aamir clarified that the photo in question was taken in 2017, during a visit to Turkey when India was helping the country recover from an earthquake. “A few years ago, there was an earthquake in Turkey. The Indian government was the first to help them then,” he explained. “Our government was also supporting Turkey at that time.”
Aamir Khan: “I Was Acting as India’s Ambassador”
Aamir added, “Turkey did a very wrong thing, and every Indian has been hurt by that.” Addressing the current outrage, he said, “Even our government didn’t know, just like I didn’t when I went to meet Erdogan, that they’d do this to us seven years later. We extended our hand in friendship and helped them during a crisis, and this is what they do to us?”
A photo of Aamir with Erdogan’s wife, Emine Erdogan, has also gone viral and is widely believed to have been taken in 2020. However, Aamir claims it predates even his 2017 visit. He emphasized that as a public figure, he was representing India abroad. “As a celebrity and actor, I’m an ambassador of the country when I visit another nation. So if someone invites me for a tea, saying no doesn’t feel right.”
Calls for Turkey Boycott Grow After Pakistan Support
Despite defending his past visit, Aamir said he now supports the boycott of Turkish goods and tourism. “They did a very right thing. We shouldn’t support Turkey at all. They’re supporting Pakistan during our conflict despite us having helped them. How is that fair?”
Tensions between India and Turkey escalated after Turkey and Azerbaijan backed Pakistan and condemned India’s strikes on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India retaliated under Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Turkish drones were reportedly used by Pakistan during the failed offensive.
Following the diplomatic fallout, Indian platforms like EaseMyTrip and Ixigo advised against travel to Turkey and Azerbaijan. Traders have also begun boycotting Turkish imports, including apples and marble.