Sending a message

In a rare rebuke, India retaliated to Turkey for its unilateral military offensive in northeast Syria when on Wednesday, Turkish jets and artillery targeted Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes. India's response to Turkey's support to Pakistan on the Kashmir matter comes by talking tough on Ankara's operations in Syria. MEA in on record stating that "We are deeply concerned at the unilateral military offensive by Turkey in northeast Syria." The reason for the statement stems from the concern that Turkey's actions can undermine stability in the region and the fight against terrorism. The action also has the potential to cause humanitarian and civilian distress. Calling upon Turkey to exercise restraint and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, India pitches for the peaceful settlement of all issues through dialogue and discussion. As details of the matter go, Syria has been a staunch supporter of India on the Kashmir issue for decades, both within and outside the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, but matters took a different turn after August 6 when repeated statements by the Turkish government came in on a matter completely internal to India. These statements are asserted to be factually incorrect, biased, and unwarranted. With this rarity of MEA criticising Turkey for its military action in northeast Syria, India also sends out a message to the world with respect to how decisions pertaining to internal administration are distinct from those that might amount to invasion and aggression. For the Turkish premier, Turkey is the Islamic power awaiting its due, and while it does not have the oil dollars backing its fragile economy, it is still working hard to create its own narratives and influence zones across the region. The nuances and complexities of power-mongering leave places and people ravaged and it needs to be understood that owing a territory is a matter of tremendous humanitarian responsibility.