Jawaharlal Nehru University on Wednesday suspended its agreement on academic collaboration with a public university in Turkey amid growing criticism of
Ankara’s support for Pakistan in its four-day conflict with India.

The university announced on X that an MoU with Inonu University stood suspended. “Due to national security considerations, the MoU between JNU and Inonu University, Türkiye, stands suspended until further notice. JNU stands with the Nation,” the JNU posted.

However, a section of faculty in the university said the agreement was never implemented and the decision by the university was more of a “publicity stunt”.

“During visits by ministers, many MoUs are routinely signed. This is one of them. It was never made functional. It is just a publicity stunt by JNU authorities,” the faculty member said on the condition of anonymity.

The faculty member said there was no sustained effort by either institution to implement the MoU.

“Turkey’s elites are West-oriented. They want to become a full-fledged member of the European Union. They do not accord much importance to Indian institutions. Very few Turkish students come to JNU and they do not mingle with Indian students,” the faculty member said.

The Indian armed forces have said that most of the drones destroyed during Operation Sindoor were made in Turkey.