Understanding Turkey's Foreign Policy: Supporting Pakistan Against India

 For many years, geopolitical experts and politicians have been fascinated by and studying Turkey's foreign policy. Due to its position in the world between Europe and Asia, Turkey usually has to balance competing regional and global interests. Perhaps the most interesting feature of Turkey's foreign policy in recent times has been its strategic alignment with Pakistan, especially in its diplomacy with India. Although Pakistan and India share borders and have long-standing concerns, Turkey's backing for Pakistan against India is a curious scenario in how countries handle complex geopolitical circumstances.

 

The Historical Context of Turkey-Pakistan Relations

 

To understand Turkey's support for Pakistan, one must first study the historical context of their relationship. Pakistan and Turkey have strong ties based on mutual respect for each other's Islamic identities and a shared history of opposing colonialism. Following the collapse of empires in the 20th century, both countries emerged to be autonomous entities: the Ottoman Empire for Turkey and the British Empire for Pakistan. These common experiences of colonialism and then nation-building instilled a high level of unity between the two.

 

Apart from these common cultural and historical links, Turkey and Pakistan have often collaborated in defense and strategic domains. Pakistan has been Turkey's the most reliable ally in Asia for a very long time, and this relationship was further strengthened during the Cold War period when both countries allied themselves against the Soviet Union. The two countries' defense cooperation is not merely about common military intelligence sharing and about cooperation in joint military training and drills. Turkey has, over the years, supplied Pakistan with military equipment, and both countries have supported one another in disputes in the location.

 

Turkey's Ideological and Strategic Alignment

 

Turkey's foreign policy is influenced both ideologically and pragmatically. Since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan entered power, Turkey has gone after a more assertive and independent foreign policy that usually destroy earlier relationships with the West, especially with Europe and the US. Erdoğan's new approach aims to reinvigorate Turkey's regional leadership, strengthen its Islamic identity, and expand its global influence.

 

In these terms, Pakistan's strategic importance to Turkey is valued. Pakistan, like Turkey, is a Muslim-state that has risen to be a dominant force in the Muslim world. This shared religious affinity is an important element of the two countries' affinity. Turkey and Pakistan have further shown cooperation for Muslim rights in locations like Kashmir, where Pakistan is at odds with India. The Muslim cooperation element is crucial to Turkey's cooperation with Pakistan, especially given India's growing globally influence.

 

Turkey's foreign policy under Erdoğan further exhibits a willingness to increase Turkey's status while a regional leader, specifically in South Asia. Through alignment with Pakistan, Turkey attempts to raise its profile in the location, which is critical to its regional goals in the Middle East, Central Asia, and even Africa. The Pakistan relationship, thus, not only represents an ideological cooperation but further a strategic move to build up the geopolitical leverage of Turkey.

 

The Kashmir Dispute: A Point of Divergence

 

The Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan keeps one of the most interesting events where Turkish support for Pakistan has been forthcoming. For decades, the Kashmir conflict has fueled tensions in South Asian geopolitics. Even though India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars over its borders, the perception has changed in recent years, especially with India's difficult decision to revoke the special autonomy that Back in 2019, the Indian government made a big move by scrapping Article 370, which had given Jammu & Kashmir a special status.

 

Turkey has been strong in its criticism of India's actions against Kashmir while being a violation of human rights and oppression of the Muslim community in Kashmir. Pakistan's stance on Kashmir has always been supported by Erdoğan's government, which has sought diplomatic and international action. For Turkey, being in support of Pakistan in this respect is not merely a regional geopolitics problem, but further an ideological position about how Muslims should be treated in a non-Muslim most of countries.

 

India, meanwhile, has been getting deeper relations with Western powers, led by the United States and the European Union, to be a part of its overall policy of balancing the rising influence of China in Asia. In part, Turkey's criticism of India's actions against Kashmir is a response to what it sees while India's shift to Western powers and what it describes while a roadblock to its own regional aspirations. By supporting Pakistan on Kashmir, Turkey seeks to position itself to be the leader of the Muslim world against what it sees while a Western-supported India.

 

Turkey's Increased Engagement with the Muslim World

 

Turkey's support for Pakistan is part of a larger strategy to strengthen engagement with other Muslim countries. Erdoğan's government aims to expand its authority in the Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa, where Pakistan has important influence. By collaborating with Pakistan, Turkey can strengthen its influence in these areas and provide a counterweight to the growing prominence of countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, People have periodically defected from Turkey for ideological reasons.

 

Turkey's support for Pakistan is further consistent with its overall aim to lead the Islamic world in terms of political and economic cooperation. This aim is most clearly manifested in Turkey's involvement in institutions like the Council of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where it it tried to be more active and leadership-driven. Turkey aims to be the voice of the Muslim world, especially in countering what it terms to be Western hegemony, by sticking up for Pakistan on the Kashmir problem and other regional concerns.