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India-Turkey Talks Boost Trade, Tourism & Counter-Terrorism Cooperation

India and Turkey held their 12th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, co-chaired by senior diplomats from both nations. The talks comprehensively reviewed bilateral relations, with a specific focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, technology, and energy. Both sides also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed to hold the next round of consultations in Turkey. The meeting builds on recent high-level engagements, including between the Prime Minister and President, and follows India's 'Operation Dost' humanitarian assistance to Turkey.

Key Points: India-Turkey Foreign Office Talks Review Bilateral Ties

  • Trade & investment focus
  • Fight against cross-border terrorism
  • Regional & global issues discussed
  • People-to-people & cultural ties
2 min read

India and Turkey discuss bilateral ties, regional and global issues of mutual interest

India and Turkey hold 12th Foreign Office Consultations, discussing trade, energy, tourism, and cooperation against cross-border terrorism.

"Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations - MEA Statement"

New Delhi, April 8

India and Turkey held the 12th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi on Wednesday, reviewing bilateral ties with a focus on diverse sectors such as trade and investment, tourism, technology and innovation, energy, cooperation in educational and cultural fields, people to people ties and fight against cross border terrorism.

Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George and Turkey's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Berris Ekinci co-chaired the meeting. The two sides also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest.

"The 12th round of India-Turkey Foreign Office Consultations were held in New Delhi on 8 April 2026, co-chaired by Secretary (West) Sibi George and and Ms. Berris Ekinci, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations with focus on trade and investment, tourism, technology and innovation, energy, cooperation in educational and cultural fields, people to people ties and fight against cross border terrorism. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," read a statement issued by the MEA after the meeting.

The last round of India-Turkey Foreign Office Consultations was held in Ankara in 2022.

On Wednesday, both sides agreed to hold the next round of consultations in Turkey on mutually convenient dates.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar had held a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Vientiane in 2024.

In September 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai. The two leaders had also met during Erdogan's visit to India to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023.

India had launched a massive humanitarian assistance initiative named 'Operation Dost' in the wake of the 2023 earthquakes in southern Turkey which not only involved sending relief material but also search and rescue teams from India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with a mobile field hospital set up by the Indian Army.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
"Fight against cross border terrorism" – this is the most important point for me. Any partnership must have a clear, unequivocal stand on this issue. I hope Turkey understands India's concerns fully. Cultural and educational exchanges are great, but security is non-negotiable.
R
Rohit P
More tourism cooperation please! Cappadocia is on my bucket list and I'm sure many Turks would love to see the Taj Mahal and our beaches. Easier visas and direct flights would be a game-changer. Let's make it happen! ✈️
S
Sarah B
As someone working in tech, the innovation partnership sounds exciting. Both countries have vibrant startup ecosystems. Collaborating on green energy and tech R&D could yield fantastic results. Hope they move from talks to concrete joint projects soon.
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Vikram M
While engagement is necessary, we must be cautious. Turkey's foreign policy in our region hasn't always been aligned with our interests. The dialogue is good, but our diplomats should be firm on protecting India's core strategic positions. A respectful criticism: let's ensure these consultations lead to tangible outcomes, not just statements.
M
Michael C
People-to-people ties are the foundation. After Operation Dost, there's a lot of goodwill. Student exchanges, film collaborations, cuisine festivals... these soft power tools can build a much stronger relationship than politics alone. The historical connections via trade routes are there, let's revive them in a modern way.

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