How the West Lost Turkey — and Why India Is Paying the Price

How the West Lost Turkey — and Why India Is Paying the Price

Once seen as a bridge between East and West, Turkey’s path toward Europe has all but collapsed — and the ripple effects are reaching New Delhi.

The Collapse of the Kemalist Dream

In the early 2000s, hopes of Turkish accession to the European Union were cautiously optimistic. Turkey, under the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, had long pursued a vision of secularism, institutional reform, and Western alignment. Yet, while the EU welcomed Turkey’s strategic location and military-industrial strength, it hesitated to embrace a Muslim-majority nation. The accession talks dragged on, burdened with conditions perceived in Ankara as politically condescending.

This rejection dealt a blow to Turkish national pride and set the stage for a deeper geopolitical realignment — one that would later entangle India.

Erdogan’s Pivot: From Secular Aspirant to Islamic Vanguard

As the door to Europe closed, Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened another — reframing Turkey’s identity from a Western-facing secular state to a leader of the Islamic world. The sidelining of the secular military, combined with rising Islamic nationalism, allowed Erdogan to reimagine foreign policy as a tool of civilizational assertion.

From the Arab Spring to Syria, Palestine, and Kashmir, Turkey began positioning itself not merely as a regional player, but as a voice for the broader Muslim ummah. This ideological turn gave Erdogan both domestic resonance and international relevance — particularly in the Global South.

The Turkey-Pakistan Axis and Its Implications for India

Turkey’s pivot also saw a deepening of ties with Pakistan, which had long admired Turkish reforms and military prowess. What began as historic camaraderie evolved into a strategic partnership, particularly under General Pervez Musharraf, who nurtured a personal and political fondness for Turkey dating back to his childhood days in Ankara.

Today, Turkey routinely supports Pakistan at international platforms such as the UN and OIC, most notably on Kashmir. Ankara's rhetorical backing of Islamabad is no longer symbolic — it is strategic, ideological, and sustained. From joint military exercises to coordinated diplomatic stances, the Turkey-Pakistan axis is now a fixture in India’s strategic calculus.

India’s New Challenge

For India, this emerging bloc presents challenges on multiple fronts:

• Geopolitical: A vocal opponent on Kashmir with growing influence in the Islamic world.

• Strategic: Military cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan complicates India’s regional dominance.

• Narrative: Ankara’s positioning as a champion of Muslim causes gives moral ammunition to anti-India voices globally.