The Hypocratic Relationship - Turkey & India

(Image courtesy- MEA.India)

The president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is on two day visit to India to meet his courter-parts  Mukherjee & PM Modi to improve the economic relation between the two nations.

The economic relationship of  both nation has improved from 2 Bn.USD to currently 6 Bn.USD from his last vist to India as PM of Turkey in 2008.

His visit to India comes under the back door of  political  turmoil taking place in turkey caused due to the recent political referendum which gives the president more superior power to make amendments in the Turkish constitution  and during the sidelines when the European union, U.S. and  Russia  is unhappy with the  Erdoğan stands on Islamic terrorism. Hence turkey is keenly looking  for new markets like India.

The "K"- factor

While Turkey is keen on Indian markets, the Kashmir factor is one of the constraint in India-Turkey relationship. Turkey being an O.I.C. member has always stood with Pakistan against India. Recently in 2016 the O.I.C. passed a resolution against India on Kashmir human rights issue.

The hypocritical stands- India &Turkey 

While Turkey who stood for Muslim brotherhood -Pakistan on Kashmir issue. Turkey seems to be ignorant about  Kurdish issues in Turkey similar to "Kashmir" who are fighting for self independence and separation from Turkey.

The recent mutilation of two Indian jawans by Pakistan's border action team (BAT) on the day of Turkish president's visit can be considered as an attempt by Pakistan to internationalize the issue of Kashmir.

In an recent interview to WION news pre-departure to his visit to India President  Erdoğan insisted for dialogue between Pakistan and India but was ignorant of KURDISH issue stating  "you cannot compare orange with apple"  

Another double standards of turkey was supporting Pakistan along with India on the  issue of NSG. Turkey was showcasing its double stand on NSG by supporting Pakistan, a nation which has poor non proliferation record and comparing it with India's strong non proliferation record

Well Indian foreign policy makers being aware of this fact of Turkish double standards. India too played a smart card by inviting Cyprus president Nicos Anastasiades to India just a day prior to Turkish President Erdoğan  visit to India. 



Its a known fact that relationship between Turkey and Cyprus is similar to IND-PAK relation both having land and water dispute.

Present scenario

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During the meetings between two leaders both PM Modi and President Erdoğan  agreed to increase the current economic relation of 6-Bn.USD to 10-Bn USD by 2020, India would be ensuring that the Indian funded Iran chabhar port is well utilized for the supply of goods between both nations. Its a fact that Pakistan wont allow flow of goods through its  land and transportation of goods through old Europe-Asia sea route wouldn't be an cost effective method and making the 10-Bn-USD economic trade vision of 2020 unrealistic. This would give India a upper hand to seek Turkish investment for Chabhar port which is considered to be the rival of China lead Gawadhar port in Pakistan.

 



While both the leaders condemned terrorism there seems to be difference between both the sides on the term "terrorism" this was well seen and heard in their joint statement. While PM Modi emphasized on "state sponsored cross border terrorism"  President Erdoğan  focused only on"fathullah gülen" who was responsible for the recent military coup in Turkey.

The difference between the terminology was quite obvious as Turkey is supporter of Pakistan and Turkey its self is accused of state sponsored terrorism by the West and Russia on Syrian crisis.  

Well as of now its just a wait and watch game between two nations for the vision of achieving 10 Bn-USD economic relation by 2020 under this immense difference between the two nations.

-Francis Lazar