Why Turkey targets India? Behind Erdogan’s strange South Asia crusade
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Kashmir Meddling
Recep Erdogan’s repeated calls for “human rights” in Kashmir at the UN have irked New Delhi, which sees these speeches as thinly veiled provocations—diplomatic grenades lobbed into India’s domestic affairs.
Brotherly Bias
By dubbing Pakistan a “true brother” and embracing it diplomatically and militarily, Erdogan sends a clear message: when push comes to shove, Ankara stands by Islamabad—even if it means souring ties with Delhi.
Drones Delivered
Turkey’s supply of combat drones and alleged operatives to Pakistan wasn’t just a trade deal—it became a battlefield flashpoint during Indo-Pak clashes, drawing Erdogan into South Asia’s most volatile conflict zone.
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Echo Chamber
From Ankara’s state media to its diplomats, the anti-India rhetoric sounds eerily familiar—mirroring Pakistan’s talking points, magnified for international consumption, and often divorced from on-ground realities.
UN Mic Grab
Erdogan has used global stages, from the UN to the OIC, to push for foreign intervention in Kashmir, challenging India’s sacred red line: that all issues with Pakistan are bilateral and off-limits to outsiders.
Moral Lectures
Whether on Article 370 or minority rights, Erdogan’s condemnations of India’s domestic policies have grown bolder—sparking outrage in Delhi, which views them as moral grandstanding from a country with its own demons.
Islamic Vanguard
Erdogan’s ambition to crown himself as the Muslim world’s leader has a South Asian chapter—where India becomes the foil, and Kashmir the rallying cry, in his quest for ideological supremacy.
Digital Daggers
Turkish NGOs have been linked to online anti-India propaganda campaigns—cozying up to pro-Khalistan networks and stirring unrest through misinformation, hashtags, and targeted cyber offensives.
Trade Tensions
India has retaliated with bans on Turkish firms and goods, freezing educational ties, and public calls for boycotts—signaling that Erdogan’s provocations now come with a rising economic price tag.
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