Udaipur: Traders urge PM Modi to ban marble imports from Turkey

UDAIPUR: Marble traders based in Udaipur, a key hub for marble, have urged the central government to put a ban on imports from Turkey, whose drones were found to be used by the Pakistani side in the recent conflict.

The traders have unanimously decided to stop imports from Turkey.

Kapil Surana, President of the Udaipur Marble Processors Association, told ANI that they have written to the Prime Minister requesting the government halt imports from Turket, particularly marble.

“We fully support the historic decisions he has taken in the last few days,” Patel said, referring to Operation Sindoor.

“We have assured him that if he imposes any kind of sanctions on any country, then we are going to stand with him. We feel that business and industry cannot be bigger than the nation and national interest,” Patel further said.

“If other associations across India too decide to stop imports from Turkey, it will send a clear message to the world that Indian businesses are fully backing the government in this critical time,” he added.

Why only marbles? He even suggested a ban on other products that India imports from Turkey.

The Udaipur-based traders’ body said India annually imports 14-18 lakh tonnes of marble, and around 70 per cent of it is sourced from Turkey.
Hitesh Patel, the general secretary of the Udaipur Marble Processors Association, said the imports from Turkey amount to Rs 2500-3000 crore.

The association, he said, has around 125 members.

In their press briefing during the Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces had noted that forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones launched was done, and initial reports had suggested that they were Turkish Asisguard Songar drones. (ANI)