India-Turkey Relations On A Long Road To Recovery Amid Ankara's Military Support To Islamabad, Say Experts
Official claims also suggest that Ankara and Beijing helped Islamabad not just with modern warfare but beyond that to counter India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Published : May 14, 2025 at 1:52 PM IST
New Delhi: Pakistan’s strong relationships with China and Turkey were recently displayed in its confrontation with India following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Official claims also suggest that Ankara and Beijing helped Islamabad not just with modern warfare but beyond that to counter India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’.
China and Turkey allegedly also participated in the information warfare alongside Pakistan, amplifying the reach of the Pakistan military’s disinformation efforts on a global scale. So the question remains, where does India stand amid the rise of the new axis?
On Monday (May 12), the Indian Armed Forces noted that the Pakistan Armed Forces launched China-made PL-15 missiles and Turkish YIHA and Songar drones towards India, all of which were effectively intercepted and destroyed by Indian defence systems.
During the weekly media briefing on Tuesday (May 13), Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was taking note of the Turkish drones and the Chinese missiles used by Pakistan. “As far as our position is concerned, we have noted these activities, and I would like to draw your attention to the comments made during the defence briefing on these matters. They also discussed the effectiveness, how impactful it was or not,” he said.
Experts believe that it would take a significant amount of time for any form of friendship or even economic camaraderie to develop between Delhi and Ankara beyond this point.
“While it is true that China and Turkey have provided Pakistan with drones, aircraft, and potentially more, this does not necessarily indicate the formation of an anti-India alliance among the three nations,” India’s former ambassador KP Fabian told ETV Bharat in a special conversation with ETV Bharat.
“Both China and Pakistan view India as a common adversary. This situation echoes the wisdom of Chanakya, who stated that every country will have at least one neighbouring nation that perceives it as a natural enemy. In India's case, it faces hostility from two neighbours, highlighting their strong connection,” he said.
Kabir Taneja, Deputy Director, Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, said Turkey, China, and Pakistan were on the same pedestal broadly on the Pahalgam issue. “Turkey did issue a statement, calling for de-escalation. I'm uncertain whether they explicitly condemned Pahalgam, but there was certainly a statement that hinted at such condemnation. Turkey's perspective on Pakistan is heavily influenced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s desire to be seen as a powerful and devout leader of the Muslim world,” he said.
According to him, Erdogan positions himself as a defender of Muslims in distress, be it in Kashmir or Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China, but Turkey has been more vocal against India than China, as the latter exerts a significant grip on the global economy, making it risky to provoke them.
“In contrast, India presents more opportunities for criticism. Erdogan's actions seem more focused on his image and the vision he has for Turkey rather than a consistent institutional stance on Kashmir,” Taneja said.
“Interestingly, a few years ago, Erdogan notably omitted any mention of Turkey in his UNGA speech, indicating some diplomatic efforts between India and Turkey to improve relations. Unfortunately, the relationship has since deteriorated, and it appears that it will take considerable time for any meaningful rapport or economic cooperation to develop between Delhi and Ankara,” he said.
Meanwhile, Erdogan on Wednesday (May 14) expressed his unwavering support for Pakistan during a speech following a Cabinet meeting in Ankara. He affirmed that Turkey will stand by the “brotherly people of Pakistan” through both challenges and triumphs.
Addressing the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, Erdogan praised the recent ceasefire and emphasised Turkey's commitment to fostering peace between the two nations.
He said, “First of all, I would like to express our satisfaction with the resolution of the tension between Pakistan and India with a ceasefire. We have taken a very clear stance both on the heinous terrorist act in Jammu and Kashmir and on the missile attacks targeting Pakistan. While we openly declared our support for the brotherly people of Pakistan, we have also made great efforts to reduce the tension that has escalated to very dangerous levels.”
The Turkish president noted that the telephone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was very important.
“I once again congratulate our Pakistani brothers for their patient, sensible and moderate attitude. I hereby reiterate our friendly warning not to resort to provocations in the next stage. I hope that the calm environment provided by the ceasefire will facilitate the resolution of all other problems, especially the water issue. As Turkey, inşallah, we will continue to stand by the brotherly people of Pakistan in good and bad times,” he added.
Earlier, in the MEA press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated that attempts were made to breach Indian airspace repeatedly over the Western Border to attack military targets.
She further mentioned that there were drone incursions along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) from Leh to Sir Creek at 36 locations, with an estimated 300 to 400 drones, which appear to be of Turkish manufacture.
She said, “A forensic examination of the drone debris is currently underway. Preliminary reports indicate that the drones are Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models.”
It is pertinent to note that India was among the first countries to respond to the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023.
The Indian government launched ‘Operation Dost’, a comprehensive humanitarian mission aimed at providing immediate relief and support to the affected regions.
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