In a sharp message, India asks Turkey to press Pakistan to dismantle its cross-border terror infrastructure
In a significant diplomatic signal, India has asked Turkey to “strongly urge†Pakistan to dismantle its decades-long support to cross-border terrorism. This comes amid escalating tensions between New Delhi and Ankara, particularly in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s recent military response to terror threats emanating from Pakistan.
The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was unequivocal. “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 harboured for decades,†MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. The latest diplomatic chill traces back to Turkey’s public condemnation of India’s precision strikes against terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor. While India maintained that the strikes were defensive and targeted infrastructure linked to terrorism, Turkey chose to align itself with Pakistan, issuing statements that echoed Islamabad’s narrative and reportedly offering diplomatic and material support.
Further complicating matters, Turkey supplied drones were reportedly used by Pakistan during recent escalations, raising strategic and security concerns in New Delhi. This alignment has only deepened India’s perception of Ankara’s growing closeness with Islamabad, especially on issues directly affecting India’s sovereignty and internal security. India’s response has been both diplomatic and administrative. India’s expectations from bilateral partnerships include respect for its core security concerns, especially those related to terrorism. This direct message to Turkey now one of the closest ally of Pakistan, comes not only as a warning but also as a recalibration of India’s diplomatic engagement with Turkey, which has in recent years sought a broader role in South Asia’s geopolitics under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Apart from diplomatic initiatives India has also taken some action to show its displeasure with Ankara. India recently revoked the security clearance of Çelebi Aviation Pvt Ltd, a Turkish-origin company that manages ground services at nine Indian airports. India’s firm stance reflects its evolving foreign policy approach, especially toward countries that attempt to take positions on South Asian conflicts without acknowledging India’s security imperatives.
As India asserts itself as a leading voice in the Global South and a major global economy, its message to Turkey may also be aimed at a broader international audience: partnerships cannot be one-sided or blind to terrorism. For now, India’s message is clear, international partnerships must be grounded in mutual respect, and there can be no ambiguity when it comes to terrorism. As regional alliances shift and global fault lines emerge, How Turkey responds to India’s call to action may well define the trajectory of its bilateral relationship with the world’s largest democracy.
