India – Turkey Relations Part - II

Why in news

On May 1 2017 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited India, this is expected to open a wide opportunities in bilateral relations.

What is the ideology of turkey so far?

Turkey’s position on Kashmir has traditionally reflected its proximity to Pakistan.
Turkey and Pakistan are part of the Uniting for Consensus group which opposes the idea of adding new permanent members proposing instead a doubling of the non-permanent category to make the UNSC more representative.
More recently, on India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Turkey supported the Chinese idea of a criteria-based approach for non-Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) member states, intended to accommodate Pakistan.
Turkey appeared a moderate and progressive Islamic state, and prospects for EU membership were bright.
Turkey is keen to join in the assault on the IS and ready to be global partner to fight against extremism.

What are the problems in Turkey?

Turkey had a booming economy, Mr. Erdogan had clipped the wings of the army.
It is estimated that about 120,000 government employees have been suspended or dismissed, primarily from the judiciary and the education branches by the present government for involving in a coup.
In addition, 7,500 soldiers and officers including over a hundred with the rank of a brigadier and above, and over 10,000 police cadres have been sacked.
More than a dozen colleges and universities and a thousand schools are closed; licences of 24 radio and TV channels have been revoked and over a hundred journalists have been arrested.
The present government with a slim majority passed, 18 amendments to transform Turkey into a highly centralised presidential government.

What are the similarities between turkey and India?

Both country’s ruling parties are associated with religious organisations, had overturned long standing ‘secular-nationalist elites’.
India and Turkey as two of the world’s largest multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracies.
The leaders of both the country has ideas on reviving national pride and restoring greatness, harnessing militant nationalism, impatience with criticism and civil society, and their personal charismatic appeal.
Both sides sought to emphasise the potential for greater economic cooperation.

What is the way forward?

It is important to India to use this cost positively since India with 1.3 billion people needed to have its place in the UNSC.
This visit is an ambitious agenda, even for a highly committed and driven leader like Mr. Erdogan and will keep him busy for the next two years.
Opening a new page in India-Turkey relations clearly needs to wait for better times.

Source: The Hindu