Attempt to influence India’s foreign policy in Armenia-Azerbaijan

Turkey is the new Dubai as far as influence operations against Kashmir are concerned, concur security officials here who are now detecting attempts to expand its ambit to cover the Indian mainland Muslims as well as raise doubts about India’s foreign policy.

Two intelligence reports late last year had flagged the emergence of Turkey as the hub of anti-India activities pushed by Pakistan’s ISI after its earlier stomping grounds of UAE and Saudi Arabia became out of bounds as these countries intensified ties with New Delhi to the extent of storing their strategic reserves in India.

The expansion of Turkey’s foreign policy footprint tallies with Ankara’s attempt to influence Muslims beyond the Arab heartland. Despite a failed attempt to form a grouping with Pakistan and Malaysia, ties with ISI turned warmer and have gone beyond Kashmir to backing Islamist organisations in India that share their global perspective.

The report to NSC Secretariat speaks of three-pronged efforts by the Turkish government and related institutions -- by media (employment to Kashmiri journalists); educational institutes (well paying scholarships) and NGOs (influence Indian Muslims on foreign policy inimical to Indian interests).

The agencies are now detecting attempts to strengthen the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan alliance after its successful military performance against Armenia which India had backed by supplying Swathi radars worth $ 40 million. Some Muslim organisations here have been seeking sanctions against Armenia which India plans to further assist economically and militarily.

Pakistan’s ISI is also interested in marginalising India from the region after it reportedly provided mercenaries to Azerbaijan in its fight against Armenia that has traditionally defended India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir.

India, however, plans to be heavily involved in the region economically through the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and it is currently in talks to include the Chabahar port in its ambit as well. The route bypasses Pakistan and could become more of an international corridor than the China Pakistan Economic Corridor because of the involvement of an increasing number of nations.