india

Updated: Oct 23, 2019 20:00 IST

India has issued a travel advisory for its citizens visiting Turkey, advising them to exercise “utmost caution” days after New Delhi rapped Ankara for its criticism of the changes in Jammu and Kashmir.

The advisory, tweeted by the official handle of the Indian embassy in Turkey on Tuesday, said the government had been receiving queries from Indians travelling to Turkey “in view of the situation in the region”.

“Although there have been no reports of the untoward incident in the country so far involving Indian nationals, travellers are requested to exercise utmost caution while travelling to Turkey,” the advisory said.

The advisory listed phone numbers of the Indian embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul for those requiring assistance.

The advisory was issued against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the US and Turkey after President Donald Trump decided to withdraw all American troops from Syria, a move described by many as a betrayal of Kurdish allies who had battled the Islamic State alongside US forces.

It came days after India strongly criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for raising the Kashmir issue during his speech at the UN General Assembly last month. Erdogan contended the world community had failed to “pay enough attention” to Kashmir, which he said was “besieged”.

Subsequently, India criticised Turkey’s military offensive in Syria, which resulted in tens of thousands of people fleeing their homes and stoked fears of the regrouping of the IS. The external affairs ministry said India was “deeply concerned at the unilateral military offensive by Turkey and added the action could “undermine stability in the region and the fight against terrorism”.