Can the Rise of ‘New’ Turkey Lead to a ‘New’ Era in India-Turkey Relations?

[EjazR]

IDSA Paper by a turkish author
Mehmet Ozkan
Turkey and India have undergone an immense social, political and economic transformation since the end of the Cold War. This has also been the case when it comes to their foreign policies. However, Turkey’s truly multidimensional foreign policy came into existence in 2002. Since then Turkey has been actively re-defining its foreign policy preferences in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Turkey’s Asia policy is no longer based on Pakistan as it was a decade ago. ‘New’ Turkey is deeply interested in developing stronger relations with China, India and other rising Asian powers as part of the diversification of its economy and foreign policy. Turkey-India relations have a huge potential to develop and benefit both sides in coming years as relations at social, political and economic levels are already flourishing. The biggest challenges are, however, to overcome the lack of knowledge about each side and the lack of global dynamics in Turkey-India relations. Both Turkey and India are rising powers but they still cooperate at the global level in a very limited way.

Full report here
http://www.idsa.in/system/files/IB_IndiaTurkeyRelations.pdf

 

[EjazR]

Some interesting parts

Turkey and India: Looking Beyond Cyprus and Pakistan?
History is the mirror of the future. A strong historical connection between India andTurkey exists dating back to the medieval era and fostered with the late 19th and 20th
century interaction between the two. The help of Indians in the Independence War of
Turkey in the 1920s is still one of the most recalled one in Turkish memory. Indeed, the
original finance for the biggest bank of Turkey, Turkiye Is Bankasi, came from India.
However, Turkey and India had different preferences during the Cold War, one sided
with the West and the other led the non-alignment movement. Since the establishment of
diplomatic relations between India and Turkey in 1948, political and bilateral relations
have been usually characterized by warmth and cordiality.9 However, now with the
leverage of Cold War gone, a new definition of bilateral and global political cooperation
is needed both at regional and international levels between Turkey and India.
A general picture indicates that Turkey has looked at India through the prism of Pakistan,
and India has done so through Cyprus and strong Turkey-Pakistan relations. At a
minimum, such conceptions are now outdated to examine the new existing developments
between the two, because political, economic and societal relations have undergone a
deep transformation.
At the political level, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit in November
2008 and the February 2010 visit of President of the Republic of Turkey, Abdullah Gul to
India with a huge delegation have emphasised Turkey’s interest in India. The Indian
response has been mild so far mostly due to Turkey’s approach to Pakistan. It is clear that
the new Turkey is no longer interested in formulating its Asian policy based on Pakistan
as it was a decade ago, therefore “the Pakistan factor today does not exist as an overriding determinant in Turkey’s South Asian policies.”10 Turkish officials are worried about
the future of Pakistan as a possible failed state as much as India does. Turkey has softened
its pro-Pakistani approach on the Kashmir issue realizing that it is important to build up
a coherent and comprehensive relationship with India and develop a holistic Asian policy.
The fact is that New Delhi and Ankara have drawn closer even as Turkey’s traditionally
good ties with Pakistan have unravelled following the latter’s support to the Taliban and
its indulgence of Islamist radicals who destabilize Central Asia. Turkey has since reversed
its support to Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, moving from a call for a plebiscite under
UN supervision to stressing the importance of India-Pakistan bilateral talks to resolve the
issue, which is by and large closer to India’s position.11 On terrorism and security issues,
the post-9/11 era marked the beginning of a changing security environment for Turkey
and India. They have begun to move closer on these issues and started to cooperate and
take various steps towards a more substantive partnership.12 Today, the Turkish
understanding is closer to the Indian approach in opposing all kinds of terrorism without
any reference to ‘root cause’.
Despite these positive developments at the political level, there have also been some
tensions. For example, after the trilateral meeting of Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan in
Istanbul in January 2010, India has lodged a protest with Turkey at not being invited to a
conference of Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours. It was clear that Turkey did not invite
India because of objection from Pakistan. Although this was a little incident in damaging
Turkey-India relations, it also showed that Turkey should go and see beyond Pakistan in
its South Asian policy. Pakistan as the closest ally of Turkey in the region may bring
advantages but may also jeopardize its newly emerging relations with countries in Asia
like India.13 Toward that direction, Turkey has indeed expressed its regret at not inviting
India for the conference on Afghanistan in Istanbul, but added that New Delhi’s relations
with Islamabad should not come in the way of the expanding bilateral relations between
the two countries in the near future.

During the visit of President Gul to India in February 2010, two joint declarations were
also issued: the Joint Declaration on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and Joint
Declaration on Terrorism. It has been agreed to study the possibilities of working together
in mutually identified projects in areas such as telecommunications, computerization,
information technology, space research, bio-technology and environmental technology
and convene a joint workshop in 2010. New Delhi considers the joint declaration on
terrorism a breakthrough because in it Ankara has agreed to “recognise the need” for the
conclusion of the India-initiated Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
(CCIT).17
According to the Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey, three direct
investment agreements were also signed by Turkish and Indian entrepreneurs during
Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s formal visit to India. Officials say that these agreements
would bring Turkey direct investments of nearly 150 million USD, providing employment
opportunities for 200 people. They also added that Indian companies dealing in ship
construction and renewable energy had expressed interest to invest in Turkey.

What Future for India-Turkey Relations?
In global politics, quantitative indicators do not always tell the whole story. They only
capture a static picture of a moment in time, rather than catching fast moving
developments. In total, there are only 250 Turks living in India, which does not even
require Turkey to open an embassy if seen from a quantitative perspective. However,
Turkey and India has much more in common, discovered and undiscovered, to share and
to work on at the international and regional levels. Time has come for Turkey and India
to discover each other and understand their changing and unchanging elements.
Just to give one example, Turkey and India are located in very different environments
but their approach to the role of religion in domestic politics is one alternative to the
‘totalitarian’ French-way of secularism. Turkey and India tend to separate state, religion
and politics from each other to articulate a new secularism. In traditional practice, state
and politics are seen as almost complimentary and thus forced to disconnect religion and
politics from each other. Both the experiences of Turkey and India now indicate that state
and religion can be separated indicating state neutrality in religious affairs, but it is
impossible to separate religion from politics. What we see today in Turkey and India is a
deep struggle to articulate such a new approach of secularism, learnt by hard experience.19
However, there are two major obstacles in taking Turkish-Indian relations forward. The
most persistent issue is the lack of information about each other. The problem is deepseated
and requires time for an efficacious resolution. However, three strategies could be
implemented: (a) students’ exchange programme would bridge the societal and
informational gap; (b) more frequent exchange of academics and researchers between
universities and interaction; (c) ensuring cooperation between Indian and Turkish thinkthanks
and organizing joint conferences and publications on Turkish and Indian sociopolitical
issues would create awareness on both sides.
Second, is the lack of global dynamics in Turkey-India relations. Both Turkey and India
are rising powers but they only cooperate at the global level in a limited way such as in
the G-20. A Turkish interest to develop close relations, and if possible participating in
inter-continental groupings like the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum may be
the best way to link Turkey-India relations at the global level. This linkage could expand
the horizon between Turkey and India by adding an international dimension. Considering
the Turkey-Brazil nuclear deal with Iran in May 2010, similar co-operation between Turkey
and India should not be seen outside of reach.
In short, what will define the future of Turkey-India relations in not Cyprus or Pakistan,
but rather the stress on mutual strengthening of their economies and providing an
environment for greater understanding of each other. Establishing a norm of soft power
potentialities and creating stable bilateral political interaction along with recognizing
mutual threats and opportunities may also accelerate this process.

 

[rsingh]

Turkey is too much Pakistan Pro and the way Turkey tried to sideline India at the recent Afghan Summit, it clearly indicates for which side Turkey was batting.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

As they say abt PAK-TURK...
2 Bodies 1 HEART.
GOD BLESS PAK-TURK BROTHERHOOD.
Future is great for us.

 

[rsingh]

^^^^^
Actually sir
it is more Sunni -Sunni thing.
Iran is also Muslim country but its relation with Pakistan are not as cordial as they are with India.

 

[SpArK]

Turkey keen to have Nano production facility, in talks with Tata

MUMBAI: Turkey wants Indian conglomerate the Tata group to consider setting-up a manufacturing plant for its Nano car to cater to demand for small cars in the European market, a senior Turkish diplomat said on Wednesday.

"To market the Nano in Europe is a very good idea if they (Tata group) choose Turkey to make the vehicle," the Turkish Ambassador to India, Levent Bilman told PTI.

Tata Motors has plans to introduce its cheapest car in the European market by 2012.

"Tatas are already in the Turkish market. My impression is that they are examining the market a little further in order to see if Turkey is a good place for establishing a production facility. And this is what we want," Bilman said.

The Turkish market itself, for small, cost-efficient cars was very big, he said, adding the Nano type of cars were the cars of the future.

"All Turks would like to buy a car. Moreover, Turkey is the gateway to Europe, the Middle-East and central Asia. So, it is not only Turkey, it is beyond Turkey," the Turkish diplomat said.

Tata Motors is still studying the prospects of the market, Billman said, adding that he had already held some discussions with the Ratan Tata-led company on the issue.

"We had some discussions. I think they are examining the market. These are big investments. I don't know if they have taken any decision yet," Billman said.


Turkey keen to have Nano production facility, in talks with Tata - The Economic Times

 

[back me up]

since when was turkey a 'rising power'?


never heard of that

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

^^^^^
Actually sir
it is more Sunni -Sunni thing.
Iran is also Muslim country but its relation with Pakistan are not as cordial as they are with India.

Actually ur wrong... its not a sunni thing..heck Turkiye is secular! its abt history,brotherhood and love tht we share.
Ask any Turk member on PDF.

We had awesome relations with Iran in Reza Shahs rule(Iran was shia even at tht time)... they provided oil for free in indo-Pak wars.. etc... even now we have good relations with iran... try the ISI help in catching Rigi or the Multi Billion $$ IP pipeline,the new cargo trail between Pak-Iran-Turkiye.

Also remember tht Pakistan and Iran share much due to our cultural,ethnic and historic ties.... same goes for turkiye....And turkiye has good relations with Iran as well.

 

[luckyyy]

Despite these positive developments at the political level, there have also been some
tensions. For example, after the trilateral meeting of Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan in
Istanbul in January 2010, India has lodged a protest with Turkey at not being invited to a
conference of Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours. It was clear that Turkey did not invite
India because of objection from Pakistan.

Turkey is too much Pakistan Pro and the way Turkey tried to sideline India at the recent Afghan Summit, it clearly indicates for which side Turkey was batting.

why to protest the Turkey on it when Afghanistan itself has not questioned Turkey on not inviting India at the conference ..

one should first find out which side Afghanistan batting on..

 

[Dash]

why to protest the Turkey on it when Afghanistan itself has not questioned Turkey on not inviting India at the conference ..

one should first find out which side Afghanistan batting on..

Afghan is too smal to question Turkey. They dont have any rights to question anyone.

 

[A.Muqeet khan]

^^^^^
Actually sir
it is more Sunni -Sunni thing.
Iran is also Muslim country but its relation with Pakistan are not as cordial as they are with India.

i dont know who u are but this post of ur is crap we are muslim and we dont side line relations on the basics of sunni shia stuff we love our brother with our heart and we are all muslims first and nothing more

 

[Water Car Engineer]

i dont know who u are but this post of ur is crap we are muslim and we dont side line relations on the basics of sunni shia stuff we love our brother with our heart and we are all muslims first and nothing more

If you love ur Muslim brothers then tell ur nation to stop being close with China and NATO because they are known to hold down Muslims. Stop taking weapons from these nations and making them rich if Muslim brotherhood is so great. Turkish had in the past problems because of the Muslim Uighur oppression in China right?What about Pakistan? Even if this whole planet was full of Muslims I can guarantee humans will find ways to divide n conqueror, even against their "brothers".We are all the same species I would think thats enough to call each others "brothers" anyways.

 

[EjazR]

Well Turkey-Pakistan relations are more military-military than anything else. This is primarily because they were part of the Cold War alliance.

When Pakistan and the Saudis and US to a lesser extent were supporting the Taliban in the 90s. Iran, Russia, CIS and Turkey all worked with India to counter that influence and were on the same side.

Moreover, Turkish people do not have a good view of China because of the oppressive tactics including no freedom to practice religion that the Uighurs have in China. Ofcourse some Pakistanis also are not happy with this but at the governmental level they don't make a peep about it unlike the Turksih govt. that is quite vocal about it.

More recently, there was a Turkey-India-CIS forum which was basically an economic forum.India-Turkey-CIS forum to focus on trade, JV & investments

 

[Zulkarneyn]

since when was turkey a 'rising power'?


never heard of that

Well sir, it depends on how you define "rising power". Turkey has the last decade increased its influence in the global platform without any doubt, especially in Middle East. Many professionals call Turkey a regional power, very much like India. So Turkey is in some sense a rising regional power. You also have to remember that today even the US which is considered as the sole unipolar power in the world, cannot entirely advance politics in certain areas without the support of regional powers like Turkey and India. For example, the Iraq War was a failure because regional powers such as France, Turkey, Germany etc. did not support the invasion, hence USA acted solely which demonstrated that it is failed politics in the 21. century. Today the significance of regional powers are much more in front than it was during the Cold War. Today we don't see a "band-wagoning" where countries support their central strong ally no matter their interest (Iraq is a perfect example).

So, an answer to your question is, yes Turkey began its actively foreign policy adventures the last decade wherein its influence in its region has risen to a considerable level.

 

[Dalai Lama]

I see no reason why India-Turkey relations can't move forward. Pakistan may be a minor hiccup in this but that's not going to stop Turkey or India from wanting a better relationship.