Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to hold talks with Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul on Sunday, Erdogan's head of communications confirmed to Reuters.
The meeting takes place amid escalating diplomatic tensions, triggered by India's boycott of Turkish goods and services in response to Operation Sindoor, India's counter-terrorism operation.
Citing Fahrettin Altun, head of communications, Reuters reported that during the meeting, bilateral relations, regional and international issues, including the fight against terrorism, will be discussed.
Turkey And Pakistan Tie
As per the reports, Turkish-Pakistani defence ties have also attracted attention. Turkey's Ada-class anti-submarine corvette landed at Karachi port on May 2, while a Turkish C-130 Hercules military aircraft landed in Karachi on April 27, reportedly carrying military supplies.
Turkey says these were routine deployments and denies transporting weapons, yet reports confirm the use of Turkish-made Songar drones by Pakistan during the conflict with India. Turkey and Pakistan share deep historical and ideological ties.
Ankara has cultivated closer ties with non-Gulf nations like Pakistan and Malaysia. This burgeoning Turkey-Pakistan axis serves mutual strategic interests: Pakistan secures a powerful ally in West Asia, while Turkey extends its reach into South Asia and beyond.
Since Erdogan's rise to power in 2003, Turkey and Pakistan have forged stronger ties, united by shared perspectives on political Islam and a mutual stance against secular Arab regimes. Erdogan has strengthened bilateral relations with over 10 visits to Pakistan, including his most recent co-chairing of the 7th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in February 2025.
Turkey is carving out a geopolitical role as a counterbalance to Saudi and Emirati influence in the Muslim world.
