India has lodged a strong protest with Turkey over remarks made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Kashmir during his state visit to Pakistan.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denounced Erdogan’s statements, terming them "objectionable" and an interference in India’s internal affairs.
During his visit to Islamabad, Erdogan reiterated Türkiye’s support for Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and called for a United Nations-facilitated dialogue to address the matter.
His remarks drew sharp criticism from New Delhi, which asserted that Jammu and Kashmir remains an integral part of India.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a weekly press briefing, stated, “We reject such objectionable comments on matters that are eternal to India. We have lodged a strong protest with the Turkish ambassador.
Such unwarranted statements on India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are unacceptable.”
Jaiswal further emphasised that Pakistan’s policy of cross-border terrorism remains the biggest threat to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Also read: India, Pakistan held flag meeting in Poonch
“Jammu and Kashmir are integral parts of India. It would have been better if Pakistan’s policy of using cross-border terrorism against India, which remains the biggest threat to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, had been called out,” he said.
Erdogan, while addressing a joint press conference with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, praised Islamabad’s handling of terrorism and reaffirmed Türkiye’s unwavering support for Pakistan on international matters, including the Kashmir dispute.
He expressed solidarity with Kashmiris, advocating for a resolution of the issue through dialogue in accordance with UN resolutions.
Sharif, in response, expressed gratitude for Türkiye’s steadfast backing of Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir. He described bilateral relations between the two nations as being built on “compassion and mutual respect.”
India has consistently rejected any external interference in Kashmir, maintaining that the region is an internal matter and dismissing any international mediation.
The latest comments by Erdogan are expected to further strain India-Türkiye relations, which have witnessed tensions in the past over similar statements.
Also read: Unchecked tourism triggering glacial meltdown in JK: Experts
Follow us
