Turkish President Erdogan pokes nose in India's affairs, even as 'Turkiye' slides backward

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once again raked up the Kashmir issue during his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session on Tuesday. Erdogan said India and Pakistan have not been able to establish peace in the region even after 75 years of their independence. Addressing world leaders at the high-level meeting, the Turkish President hoped for "permanent peace" in Kashmir. His assertions for 'peace' come at a time when Turkey's own internal problems have seen its inflation cross 80% and daily threats being made to go to war with its neighbour Greece.

"India and Pakistan, after having established their sovereignty and independence 75 years ago, still haven't established peace and solidarity between one another. This is much unfortunate. We hope and pray that a fair and permanent peace and prosperity will be established in Kashmir," he said at the General Debate.

Erdogan's comment comes less than a week after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Uzbekistan. Appearing to bury the hatchet, the two leaders reviewed the full range of bilateral relations and discussed ways to deepen cooperation in diverse sectors.

Troubled India-Turkey ties

Notably, relations between India and Turkey soured two years ago after following Erdogan's unwarranted comments on Kashmir. The Turkish leader referred to Kashmir on various occasions in his address at the UNGA sessions, causing strain between the two nations. The relations were further complicated by Turkey's close ties with Pakistan.

In 2020, the Government of India summoned the Turkish ambassador and lodged a diplomatic protest after Erdogan, on a visit to Islamabad, said the situation in Kashmir was worsening. His comments came soon after India scrapped Article 35A of the Constitution, withdrawing the region's autonomy.

India termed Erdogan's remarks as "completely unacceptable", saying Turkey should learn to respect the sovereignty of other nations and reflect on its own policies more deeply.

(With inputs from agency)