Relations between India and Turkey go back centuries, with both countries sharing deep historical and cultural bonds. However, in recent years, ties between the two nations have deteriorated significantly. There are several reasons behind the growing animosity between Ankara and New Delhi.
Erdogan’s Strong Support for Pakistan on Kashmir
One of the biggest factors straining India-Turkey relations is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vocal support for Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir The disputed Kashmir region has been the main source of conflict between India and Pakistan since 1947
Erdogan has repeatedly raised the issue of Kashmir at international forums like the UN General Assembly, calling for the dispute to be resolved through UN intervention. He has described Kashmir as an open “wound” that needs resolution.
India has made it clear that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan to be resolved through bilateral talks. New Delhi sees Erdogan’s comments on Kashmir as interference in India’s internal affairs.
Erdogan’s close ties with the Pakistani leadership and Turkey’s growing defense partnership with Pakistan are further seen as anti-India actions by Ankara.
Divergent Geopolitical Interests
Another factor is the divergence in geopolitical and strategic interests between the two nations.
During the Cold War, India was a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement while Turkey was part of the Western NATO bloc led by the US.
In the post-Cold War period, while India has forged close ties with the West, Turkey under Erdogan is seen as pivoting towards Islamic nations in West Asia and Central Asia.
Erdogan’s Neo-Ottoman foreign policy vision, aimed at increasing Turkey’s influence across regions once under Ottoman rule, clashes with India’s global interests and partnerships.
India’s Outreach to Turkey’s Adversaries
To counter Turkey’s perceived anti-India stance, New Delhi has significantly enhanced engagement with nations like Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, and others who have difficult ties with Ankara.
Strengthening security and economic cooperation with these regional rivals of Turkey is being seen as India’s strategy to contain Erdogan’s policies.
For example, India has signed defense and military agreements with Cyprus and Greece, with whom Turkey has long-standing disputes.
Divergence on Terrorism
Another divergence is over the issue of terrorism. Turkey has often been accused of tacitly supporting extremist groups like ISIS, something India has strongly opposed.
India sees Turkey as sympathetic to radical Islamist elements, while Turkey has criticized India’s crackdown on terror groups. This has been a sore point.
The Erdogan Factor
Experts believe that more than inherent animosity between the Turkish and Indian states, Erdogan’s ideological positions and foreign policy vision are the main irritants.
Erdogan’s Islamist politics and efforts to spread Turkey’s influence across the Muslim world using religion and ideology are not seen positively by secular India.
Many believe that Turkey-India bilateral ties may improve once Erdogan demits office and there is a leadership change in Ankara.
Impact on Economic Ties
While political relations have deteriorated, economic ties between India and Turkey remain stable.
Bilateral trade has grown steadily over the past decade, reaching $9.4 billion in 2021-22. India mainly exports meat, pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, and textiles to Turkey.
However, the worsening diplomatic relations have affected cultural ties and people-to-people connections. Turkish locales are no longer favored by Indian filmmakers. Travel between both countries has also been impacted.
To conclude, it is apparent that political and strategic considerations, driven by Erdogan’s approach, are responsible for the growing bitterness between India and Turkey. However, there remains scope for ties to be repaired considering the deep rooted historical links. With pragmatic leadership on both sides, the relationship can be steered in a positive direction.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on September 10 opposed the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, saying that it should not bypass Turkey.
This was not surprising considering that many of the project’s possible beneficiaries such as Greece are long-standing Turkish adversaries. Significantly, Turkey’s relations with India have deteriorated in recent years over Erdoğan’s stance on Kashmir and support for Pakistan.
Meanwhile, India’s ties with adversaries of Turkey, especially in the eastern Mediterranean, have strengthened rapidly. While one view is that this Indian outreach can be a counter to Ankara’s approach, another is that it does not necessarily mean these nations are joining forces against Turkey.
Erdoğan expressed his opposition to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor a day after the project was unveiled by some of the participating nations. The proposed transport and connectivity corridor is aimed at boosting economic integration across these regions. “We say that there is no corridor without Turkey,” Erdoğan said. “Turkey is an important production and trade base. The most convenient line for traffic from east to west has to pass through Turkey.”
Turkey’s opposition to this project was not unexpected. The country straddling continental Europe and Asia has complicated ties with several nations that are expected to benefit from this project.
Cyprus and Greece are Turkey’s long-time adversaries. Greek-Turkish relations have been historically hostile and consistently tested by territorial disputes and contestations over the Aegean Sea. They also back opposing sides in a dispute that has divided Cyprus on ethnic lines. Ankara supports the Turkish Cypriots who control the northern part of the island nation and Athens supports the Greek Cypriots in the south.
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