India –Turkey bilateral relations have been friendly and cordial since ancient times. The two countries have similar cultures and civilisations, art and architecture, customs and cuisines. There was a close and regular interaction between Indian rulers and the Ottoman Empire. For example, the Ottoman Architect Mimar Yusuf, disciple of the great Mimar Sinan went to India and entered the service of Akbar. He is reputed to have had some hand in the buildings in Agra and Delhi. The names of one of India’s great languages, Urdu, can be traced to the Turkish language. The Sufi philosophy of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi found a natural resonance in the Indian sub-continent with its own traditions of Sufism and the Bhakti movement. The activism and the ideology of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk made a deep impression on the Indian freedom struggle.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Turkey in 1948, political and bilateral relations have been usually characterised by warmth and cordiality. India and Turkey are both secular democracies, based on ethnic, religious and linguistic plurality.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan coming to India this is a second trip to India last he came to India when he was Prime Minister of Turkey in 2008. The fact that the visit is taking place after the referendum is particularly important as Turkey is shifting to a new system. With the visit President Erdogan wants to build stronger relationship with India especially because India is an emerging power in the world. And in the leadership of Narendra Modi India are shining and building new highs. Both leaders have charismatic powers. In 1984 the then Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi said “We believe in building a friendship with Turkey regardless of the differences”.
India and Turkey have emerged as major regional players in their respective regions. "Turkey is situated at the junction of Central Europe, Central Asia and West Asia. We are located between West Asia, Central Asia and East Asia. Our geopolitical locations give us shared concerns in the region, as well as some common opportunities," then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpaye said in a statement during his three-day official visit to Turkey in September 2003. This was perhaps an apt recognition of the vast potential for the two emerging regional powers to come together to forge a new partnership based on mutual respect, shared concerns and values between two powerful democracies and rising economic powers.
India is a largest democracy in the world and Turkey proved its loyalty to democratic values when its people flocked into the streets to halt a bloody coup on July 15, 2016.
The time has come when both nations comes together for bright future prospects. We should not forget that India’s father of nations Mahatma Gandhi established this country as the defender and protector of the oppressed and needy people Mr. Erdogan doing exactly in Turkey. Neighbour country Syria going on very difficult time. In Syrian peoples is dying sometimes terrorism or sometimes bombing. Turkey is playing very bigger role in the region it is helping needy Syrians and opened the doors for the people. At once India helped Bangladeshis people in 1971 war against Pakistan’s cruelty.
India and Turkey have a great potential for economic and commercial interactions with the success of market reforms on both sides. There are opportunities in sectors like energy, infrastructure, services as well as science and technology. As members of the G-20, both countries have a role to play in the international economic processes. India and Turkey have a shared interest in the stability and security of Afghanistan and Central Asia.
India and Turkey both accepts that world is bigger than five (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Turkey opposes the veto power given to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security council. Turkey always shows love and affection to the Muslim brother and sisters. As we know India has second largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia. This Muslim population make the bridge between India and Turkey and bind the strong thread between two nation’s populations. I hope Prime Minister Modi and President Erdogan create history for their relations.
Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of FORE INDIA