Turkiye’s Neo-Ottoman Push Deepens Ties With Pakistan and Azerbaijan
Turkiye is renewing its focus on South Asia as part of a broader foreign policy shift under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This move aligns with a neo-Ottoman strategy, aiming to expand influence in regions once connected to the Ottoman Empire. Relations with India remain strained, while ties with Pakistan and Azerbaijan have deepened in recent years.
Turkiye’s historical ties to South Asia stretch back centuries. Ottoman artillery played a key role in shaping warfare on the subcontinent, even aiding the rise of the Mughal Empire. Later, under British colonial rule, the Ottoman sultan became a symbolic figure for Indian Muslims, sparking the Khilafat Movement in the early 20th century. Turkic dynasties and armies had long governed parts of the Islamic world, including regions in South Asia, leaving a lasting political legacy.
In recent decades, Turkiye has strengthened its defence cooperation with Pakistan and Azerbaijan, forming an informal alliance dubbed the 'three brothers'. During Operation Sindoor, Ankara provided military equipment and intelligence support to Islamabad. However, tensions with India have persisted, with trade remaining modest and disputes unresolved.
Indian investigators now allege that a Turkish handler was involved in coordinating the November 10, 2025 explosion at Delhi’s Red Fort. The incident has further strained relations between the two nations.
Turkiye’s engagement in South Asia reflects two main goals: boosting its standing in the Muslim world and securing strategic benefits. With regional power dynamics shifting, this historical pattern of involvement is likely to continue. The country’s closer ties with Pakistan and Azerbaijan contrast sharply with its uneasy relationship with India.
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