Bharat and Turkey: A Relationship Caught in Strategic Crosswinds

Paromita Das
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 16th May: In international diplomacy, relationships aren’t always black and white—especially when it comes to complex nations like Bharat and Turkey. Bharat & Turkey are not great friends but they are also not hostile to each other. They reside in a space of cautious engagement, marked by a transactional tone rather than a warm alliance. The roots of their divergent paths are deep, driven by historical positions, strategic alignments, and modern-day geopolitical calculations.

Yet despite this lukewarm camaraderie, both countries stand at a juncture where pragmatism can lead to progress. The underlying tension, however, remains tied not to direct disputes, but to Turkey’s overt alignment with Pakistan—Bharat’s perpetual strategic rival.

Turkey’s Ties with Pakistan: The Shadow Over Bharat-Turkey Relations

Turkey’s unwavering support for Pakistan is one of the key reasons why its relationship with Bharat remains limited. While other Islamic nations, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have rebalanced their ties to accommodate growing relations with Bharat, Turkey has remained loyal to a legacy alliance with Pakistan.

Historically, Turkey and Pakistan have shared military and ideological bonds, tracing back to their joint membership in the now-defunct anti-Communist Baghdad Pact during the Cold War. More recently, Turkey has become Pakistan’s second-largest investor, following China, with investments estimated to exceed $1.5 billion, particularly in energy, construction, and transport.

Unlike China, which exercises some restraint in overtly backing Pakistan on sensitive issues, Turkey has consistently raised the Kashmir issue at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) forums. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has not only endorsed Pakistan’s position on Kashmir but has offered to mediate—a proposal Bharat swiftly and repeatedly rejects, citing Kashmir as an internal matter.

Bharat’s Diplomatic Balancing Act with Turkey

Bharat, for its part, has chosen restraint over retaliation. Despite Erdoğan’s comments on Kashmir at global platforms like the United Nations, Bharat has refrained from launching a diplomatic offensive against Ankara. Instead, New Delhi has taken the high road—maintaining formal diplomatic ties, engaging in bilateral visits, and focusing on trade cooperation.

Bharat hosted President Erdoğan in 2024 as part of its G20 engagement strategy, signalling that while ties may not be warm, they are far from broken. The Bharat-Turkey bilateral trade volume, which stood at $6 billion in 2023, has shown signs of recovery post-pandemic, with sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles, and chemicals contributing to the increase.

What’s more, Bharat is exploring the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) with regional partners, and Turkey’s potential participation in such regional frameworks remains on the radar—though largely limited by geopolitical hesitation.

Why Turkey Needs to Re-Evaluate Its Pakistan-First Policy

In a rapidly shifting global order, Turkey’s rigid allegiance to Pakistan comes at a diplomatic cost. Bharat is the world’s fifth-largest economy, a nuclear power, and a key strategic partner to both the West and the Global South. Ignoring Bharat or antagonizing it on behalf of Pakistan is diplomatically myopic.

Other traditional pro-Pakistan countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have demonstrated how to maintain a healthy relationship with Bharat while sustaining ties with Pakistan. Both Gulf nations have invested heavily in Bharat’s infrastructure, fintech, and energy sectors, all while engaging in strategic dialogues with New Delhi.

Turkey’s continued support for China’s “criteria-based” approach to nuclear membership at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)—a move designed to favour Pakistan’s inclusion despite its non-signature of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—further erodes its credibility with Bharat. Such posturing makes it harder for New Delhi to trust Ankara in any multilateral forum.

Room for Pragmatism, If Turkey Chooses It

The relationship between Bharat and Turkey doesn’t need to remain static. Both nations are regional powers with ambitions of expanded global influence. Bharat’s strengths in technology, manufacturing, and services could complement Turkey’s expertise in infrastructure and logistics. With the global south gaining prominence in multilateral forums like BRICS+, SCO, and G20, Bharat and Turkey have more to gain from cooperation than competition.

But for that to happen, Ankara must de-hyphenate its Bharat policy from its Pakistan policy. Strategic autonomy doesn’t mean abandoning traditional partners—it means adapting to a multipolar world. If Erdoğan continues to champion Pakistan at Bharat’s expense, Turkey risks marginalizing itself in South Asia, a region it historically views through a narrow religious and political lens.

Economic diplomacy is where the two nations can start rebuilding bridges. With Bharat poised to become a $5 trillion economy by 2027, Turkey would do well to find a place within that growth story rather than watching from the sidelines.

Not Enemies, But Not Allies Either

Bharat and Turkey stand on parallel tracks—capable of engagement, yet unable to forge a true partnership due to external entanglements. The potential for growth in their relationship exists, particularly in trade and technology, but will remain untapped as long as Turkey uses its platform to amplify Pakistan’s voice against Bharat.

Bharat has shown remarkable restraint and maturity, engaging diplomatically while sidestepping confrontation. The ball is now in Turkey’s court. If Turkey wishes to be taken seriously as a global power with strategic independence, it must move beyond ideological posturing and embrace the pragmatism that today’s multipolar world demands.