India asks Turkey to press Pak to end support to terrorism
New Delhi: India has called on Turkey to press Pakistan to dismantle its long-standing support system for cross-border terrorism, in a strong diplomatic message issued Thursday amid rising tensions in the region.
“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,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly media briefing. “Relations are built based on sensitivities to each other’s concerns,” he added.
This statement follows India’s recent military operations in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which was attributed to Pakistan-based militants. The incident has further strained ties between New Delhi and Ankara, with India expressing concern over Turkey’s perceived support for Pakistan during the escalation.
Officials in New Delhi have accused Turkey of not only extending moral support to Pakistan but also allegedly supplying drones used in the military offensive. According to the Indian government, over 300 drones provided by Turkey were deployed by Pakistan across the western border, conducting intrusions at 36 locations ranging from Ladakh to Gujarat. These drones reportedly targeted both military and civilian zones.
Turkey has denied any active involvement, stating that Turkish aircraft that landed in Pakistan during the crisis were on refuelling stops and not transporting military equipment. However, Turkey’s decision to send a warship to Karachi during the escalation drew attention. While Ankara described it as a “routine port call”, Indian officials interpreted it as a signal of alignment.
Following India’s precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir—strikes that reportedly killed over 100 militants—Turkey refrained from condemning the initial Pahalgam attack. Instead, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a message of condolence to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing grief over the deaths of those in Pakistan affected by the Indian operation.
The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the UN-proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, was blamed for the Pahalgam attack, reinforcing India’s claims of Pakistan’s involvement.
Turkey’s long-standing position on Jammu and Kashmir, often aligning with Pakistan, has previously drawn criticism in India.
In the wake of these developments, calls for a boycott of Turkish products and tourism have intensified across Indian social media platforms, with appeals directed at filmmakers and travellers alike to avoid engagements with Turkey.
with agency inputs
