Rishma Banerjee
The April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which tragically claimed 26 civilian lives, marked a return to cross-border hostilities, with India and Pakistan falling back into a familiar pattern of airstrikes, ceasefire violations, and international appeals for restraint. However, a more strategic split has emerged amid this crisis: the ongoing chasm in India-Turkiye ties.
On the night of May 6-7, Indian jets struck what New Delhi alleged to be terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan responded with cross-border stikes of its own – during which the Indian Air Force intercepted multiple retaliatory drones launched from across the Line of Control. According to press briefings by the Indian Armed Forces, among these were Turkiye-manufactured Asisguard Songar models – unmanned armed systems previously exported to Pakistan for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
This was the first instance where Turkish-origin defense platforms have been used in a live conflict directly involving Indian forces, escalating long-brewing apprehensions in New Delhi about Ankara’s regional posture. Intelligence reports have alleged the involvement of Turkish military personnel in the planning and execution of these drone operations. Suspicions of logistical coordination were heightened by additional sightings of a Turkish Air Force C-130 Hercules plane landing at Karachi airport and a Turkish Ada-class anti-submarine corvette docked at Karachi Port.
By reiterating his relationship with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and referring to Turkiye-Pakistan ties as “one of the finest examples of true friendship,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demonstrated Ankara’s readiness to operationalize political support as well. This relationship has been shaped and bolstered by a long-standing strategic partnership between the two countries. Turkiye became Pakistan’s second-largest arms supplier after China between 2018 and 2022. Defense diplomacy and operational interoperability have been further solidified by their joint military exercises, such as the yearly “Atatürk” and more recent multinational exercises like Indus Shield.
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