Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul. This meeting was a high point in that diplomatic effort, even as tensions continued to build between India and Pakistan. This collaborative meeting follows weeks of accusations from India that Pakistan is harboring and supporting terrorism indirectly, which Pakistan has strongly shot down. Both leaders emphasized the need for cooperation, particularly in defense, energy, and transportation sectors, amid a backdrop of regional instability.
Throughout their discussions, Erdogan was adamant in expressing Turkiye’s unequivocal solidarity with Pakistan. He especially focused this support on India’s recent military incursions into several areas of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. He underscored Turkiye’s backing for Pakistan’s call for an international inquiry into the attacks. The Turkish president highlighted the importance of education, intelligence sharing, and technological support in combating terrorism, stating that strengthening ties between Turkiye and Pakistan is essential for regional stability.
Growing Economic Connections
Erdogan’s visit highlighted the depth of economic relations Turkiye enjoys with Pakistan, which have been further bolstered via important cooperation agreements signed between the two countries. On February 22, Erdogan made an official state visit to Islamabad, where he agreed to 24 bilateral agreements focusing on improving trade ties. The two countries have shown readiness to deepen and broaden their cooperation beyond numerous spheres. India’s trade links with Turkiye are robust, with India importing nearly $2.7 billion worth of goods from Turkiye a year.
India’s External Affairs Ministry recently highlighted the complexities of its relationship with Turkiye, emphasizing that “relations are built on the basis of sensitivities to each other’s concerns” according to spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. This further statement of intent is indicative of India’s ever-dismissive attitude towards Turkiye’s continued support for Pakistan, despite the current tensions.
In spite of the deep economic relations, India has done an about-turn to show strong opposition against Turkish products. In reaction to strong political sentiments against Turkey, major Indian retailers have removed multiple Turkish apparel brands from their marketplaces within the country. Indian travel companies have joined this chorus by proving their fidelity to Indian national concerns by announcing a ban on Turkish products.
Diplomatic Challenges Ahead
During Erdogan’s visit, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated to the point of armed clashes. Following an airstrike that killed its soldiers, Turkiye had already cautioned that without a peaceful resolution, the conflict risked spiraling into an “all-out war.” The Turkish president calls on the two countries to “exercise common sense” and ease tensions. He believes dialogue is needed, and dialogue is a preferable alternative to military conflict.
India is right to hold the line on Pakistan doing more and doing better to act against cross-border terrorism. Jaiswal articulated this sentiment well: “We expect Turkey to strongly urge Pakistan to end its support to cross-border terrorism and take credible and verifiable actions against the terror ecosystem it has harbored for decades.” This strong statement further underscores India’s frustration with what it views as toothless responses from Pakistan concerning state-sponsored terrorism.
