In a notable shift, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not mention Kashmir in his annual address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this year, breaking a tradition he has upheld since 2019. This change is significant, as Erdogan has consistently raised the Jammu and Kashmir issue, especially after India abrogated Article 370 and eliminated the region’s special status.
His past remarks were often viewed as unwarranted interference in India’s domestic affairs, which New Delhi has consistently rejected. Since 2019, Erdogan has utilized his UNGA platform to criticize India’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming that peace, prosperity, and stability were absent in the Valley.
However, during his speech at the UNGA in New York on Tuesday, Erdogan primarily focused on the Israel-Gaza conflict, sharply criticizing the UN for what he called turning Palestinian territory into the “world’s largest cemetery.” His omission of Kashmir was particularly notable, though the reasons for this change remain unclear.
It’s possible that India’s rising global status influenced Erdogan’s decision. His softened stance on Kashmir might be a strategic diplomatic maneuver aimed at improving relations with India.
In 2019, shortly after India’s revocation of Article 370, Erdogan stated at the UNGA, “In order for the Kashmiri people to look at a safe future together with their Pakistani and Indian neighbours, it is imperative to solve the problem through dialogue and on the basis of justice and equity, not through clashes.”
He asserted that millions in the region were “virtually under blockade” and required international attention. The following year, in 2020, Erdogan reiterated his focus on the Kashmir issue, describing the Kashmir “conflict” as a “burning issue” and adding that actions taken after the abolition of special status “further complicated the problem.”
He also called for a resolution through dialogue in line with UN resolutions. India has responded firmly to Erdogan’s comments over the years, with representatives at the UN, including T.S. Tirumurti, the then Permanent Representative to the UN, urging Turkey to respect other nations’ sovereignty and to reflect on its own policies rather than interfere in India’s internal matters.
Erdogan has been openly nurturing closer ties with Pakistan. During his February 2020 visit to Pakistan, he pledged ongoing support for Islamabad’s position on Kashmir while addressing a joint session of the Pakistani Parliament. Since then, Erdogan has continued to strengthen relations with Pakistan.
Despite raising concerns about Kashmir from 2021 to 2023 and maintaining an anti-India stance, Erdogan’s rhetoric at the UNGA this year lacked any mention of the region, possibly indicating a shift in Turkey’s international priorities and reflecting India’s increasing influence as a global power.