PM Sharif to meet Prez Erdogan today as shadow of India-Pak tensions, boycott of Turkish businesses looms

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will hold talks with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul on Sunday (May 25), as diplomatic and economic tensions with India escalate over Ankara’s recent support for Islamabad during heightened India-Pakistan hostilities.

Fahrettin Altun, Erdoğan’s head of communications, confirmed via social media platform X that the leaders would discuss “bilateral relations, regional and international issues, including the fight against terrorism.”

Cumhurbaşkanımız Sayın Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, bugün İstanbul’daki Dolmabahçe Çalışma Ofisinde Pakistan Başbakanı Sayın Şahbaz Şerif’i kabul edeceklerdir.

Sayın Cumhurbaşkanımızın Sayın Şerif’i kabulünde, Türkiye-Pakistan ikili ilişkileri çeşitli veçheleriyle değerlendirilecek;…

— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) May 25, 2025

Turkey’s relations with India

The meeting takes place against the backdrop of Turkey’s increasingly assertive role in South Asian geopolitics. Relations with India deteriorated sharply following Turkey’s overt backing of Pakistan during recent tensions stemming from the deadly April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists. In retaliation, India initiated military operations dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In response to these developments, Erdoğan publicly expressed solidarity with Pakistan, praising Islamabad’s “calm and restrained” stance and echoing its call for an independent investigation into the incident. Turkish support for Pakistan reportedly included supplying over 350 military drones and deploying operatives to assist Pakistan’s military capabilities during the escalation. Additionally, Turkish military activities, such as a naval warship docking at Karachi port and the delivery of arms via a Turkish Air Force C-130 aircraft, have drawn sharp criticism from India.

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India responded vigorously to Turkey’s involvement. New Delhi lodged diplomatic protests through its Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), strongly cautioning Ankara about respecting mutual sensitivities, especially concerning terrorism-related issues.

Indian consumers and businesses launched economic boycotts of Turkish products, notably halting marble imports worth Rs 3,000 crore (approximately $360 million). India also revoked the security clearance of Turkish aviation firm Çelebi and is reviewing partnerships involving IndiGo and Turkish Airlines.

With inputs from agencies