Istanbul — In a high-level diplomatic engagement, Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul on Sunday, just weeks after the recent military conflict between India and Pakistan. The meeting signals a renewed push for strategic cooperation between Ankara and Islamabad amid shifting regional dynamics.
According to a statement from the Turkish presidency, both leaders agreed to enhance collaboration across several key sectors, including defence, energy, transportation, and technological development. Education and intelligence sharing also emerged as priority areas in the broader context of combating terrorism.
President Erdogan emphasized the need for increased solidarity between the two countries, noting that bilateral coordination in security and technology is vital in addressing emerging threats. The discussions, held in Turkiye’s commercial capital, come at a sensitive moment as Ankara navigates diplomatic tensions with India.
India has expressed strong concerns over alleged Turkish military support to Pakistan during the recent conflict—a claim Turkiye firmly denies. The allegations followed New Delhi’s military strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on April 22, in response to an attack in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead, including tourists.
Pakistan has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam incident, and Turkiye backed Islamabad’s call for an international investigation. Erdogan also warned of the danger of escalation and urged both nuclear-armed nations to exercise restraint.
A ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan was reached on May 10, easing immediate tensions. Still, Erdogan’s meeting with Sharif is likely to be closely watched in New Delhi and among other ASEAN observers for its potential impact on regional stability.
The strategic convergence between Ankara and Islamabad underscores a broader trend of non-Western alliances reshaping diplomatic alignments in Asia and beyond. As both nations seek to amplify their geopolitical footprint, their engagement holds implications for defence diplomacy and transcontinental cooperation in the wider Eurasian and South Asian regions.
