Pakistan’s significant military buildup along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and the International Border in other regions had a connection to Turkey. Pakistan utilized 300-400 drones supplied by Turkey to strike military and civilian locations in India.
The government stated in a special press briefing on Operation Sindoor that drones were utilized for several intrusions and breaches of Indian airspace across the whole western border—spanning from Leh in Ladakh to Sir Creek in Gujarat—at 36 different sites.
Experts believe that Ankara is helping Pakistan with the aim of enhancing its status within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC. The 57-member coalition is led by Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Turkey aims to strengthen its stance by asserting that it has backed an Islamic country. Following Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ascent, Turkey quickly shifted toward radical Islam. The president of Turkey now harbors the aspiration of leading the Umma, or the Islamic World. The attack in Pahalgam has provided him this chance.
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The Concept of ‘Ummah’
Ummah is an Arabic term that refers to Muslim identity, nation, religious community, or the idea of a Commonwealth of Muslim Believers. It is a synonym for ummat al-Islām; it is often used to refer to the entire community of Muslim individuals.
The Ummah is established on a basis of common religious convictions, including faith in one God, the prophethood of Muhammad, and the principles of the Quran and Sunnah.
The idea of the Ummah acknowledges that Muslims reside and engage in activities across different regions globally, yet they remain members of the broader Muslim community. In political context, the term Ummah may be employed to promote a cohesive Islamic nation or political framework.
Turkey’s support to Pakistan
When Indian Experts discovered Turkish-manufactured Asisguard Songar drones utilized by Pakistan in a war-like scenario with India, they were not surprised. The defence company Asisguard, based in Turkey, created and produced it, delivering it to the Turkish Air Force in 2020. Ankara provided it to Pakistan shortly thereafter.
However, international analysts view it merely as a symbol of the developing Turkey-Pakistan partnership. This was clear when a Turkish Air Force IC-130 aircraft arrived in Pakistan on April 27 and a Turkish Navy anti-submarine corvette arrived at Karachi port on May 2, coinciding with rising tensions between Pakistan and Turkey.
On May 7, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephonic conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing his support following India’s attack on nine terror locations in Pakistan and PoK. Erdogan informed Sharif during the call that Turkey backed what he described as Pakistan’s “calm and restrained policies” amid the crisis, according to a statement from his office.
In recent years, Turkey and Pakistan have strengthened their defense partnership via institutional frameworks and an uptick in joint military exercises. Significant defense agreements with technology transfer clauses have enhanced Pakistan’s capabilities.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been taking delivery of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) based in Ankara. Pakistan’s National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP), launched in August 2023, has formed a partnership with Turkish drone producer Baykar for research and development initiatives.
Why Turkey backs Pakistan?
Turkey has historically backed Pakistan in terms of moral support, economic aid, and military assistance. It has consistently backed Pakistan’s communal perspective of the Two-Nation Theory, along with the narratives on Kashmir promoted by Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Hours after the Pahalgam terror attack executed by The Resistance Front, a shadow arm of the UN-proscribed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif – the sole world leader to meet the Pakistani prime minister. Following the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif thanked Turkey for its “steadfast support” regarding Kashmir.
Turkey and Pakistan are progressively viewing themselves as members of a larger Islamic geopolitical coalition, frequently contrasting their stance with established Middle Eastern powerhouses like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as regional adversaries such as India and Greece. Erdogan’s aspiration to guide the Muslim ummah aligns closely with Pakistan’s enduring wish for leadership within the Islamic community.
