Amid escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hosting Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul for high-level talks focused on bilateral relations, regional security, and counter-terrorism efforts.

This meeting takes place in the immediate aftermath of India's nationwide boycott of Turkish goods and services, a move triggered by Ankara’s overt support for Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, particularly after Operation Sindoor—India’s counter-terror mission launched in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Turkey was the only West Asian nation to openly criticize India’s military operation and publicly back Pakistan, which has significantly deepened the diplomatic rift between Ankara and New Delhi. Turkish support reportedly included supplying over 350 military drones to Pakistan and deploying operatives to assist Pakistani forces during the escalation, actions that have drawn sharp protests from India. 

Additionally, Turkish military presence was noted in Pakistan, with a Turkish Ada-class anti-submarine corvette docking at Karachi port and a Turkish C-130 Hercules aircraft landing with what was reported as military supplies. While Turkey insists these were routine deployments, multiple reports confirm the use of Turkish-made Songar drones by Pakistan during the conflict.

India’s response has been swift and multifaceted. The government has lodged strong diplomatic protests, revoked security clearances for Turkish firms, and initiated a sweeping boycott of Turkish products and services—including a halt to marble imports and a significant drop in tourism and aviation ties.

Indian travel platforms have reported a 60% decline in bookings to Turkey and a 250% surge in cancellations, with the economic impact expected to be severe for Turkey’s already fragile economy, which is grappling with high inflation, currency devaluation, and declining foreign investment. The boycott is also affecting trade, education, and aviation, with calls to end partnerships between Indian and Turkish airlines and the cancellation of major contracts.

The Turkey-Pakistan relationship is rooted in deep historical and ideological ties, reinforced since Erdogan’s rise to power in 2003. Both countries share a partnership grounded in a shared Islamic identity and have aligned on political Islam and opposition to secular Arab regimes.

Erdogan has visited Pakistan over ten times, most recently co-chairing the 7th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in February 2025, underscoring the strategic importance Ankara places on its alliance with Islamabad. Geopolitically, Turkey is seeking to position itself as a counterweight to Gulf Arab dominance in the Muslim world, strengthening its axis with Pakistan and other non-Gulf nations to expand its influence in South Asia and beyond.

Erdogan-Sharif meeting in Istanbul is emblematic of the shifting geopolitical landscape in South Asia and West Asia, marked by deepening Turkey-Pakistan defence cooperation and a hardening of India-Turkey relations. The ongoing Indian boycott is likely to exacerbate Turkey’s economic challenges and further entrench the diplomatic standoff, with little prospect of reconciliation in the near term unless Ankara reconsiders its stance on the India-Pakistan conflict.

Agencies