The Government of India has decided to put off a proposed visit by Narendra Modi to Ankara, as a part of a number of measures showing its displeasure over Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan’s UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) speech last month where he criticised its move on Article 370 in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K).
According to sources, the visit, which had been discussed when Modi met Erdogan in Osaka in June last, is unlikely to take place by year-end, as planned earlier.
Official sources said India’s sharp criticism of Ankara’s military operations in Syria this week, as well as an expected decision to cancel the selection of Turkey’s Anadolu shipyard to build naval support ships for it followed its unhappiness over Turkey’s stand on Kashmir.
Modi had last visited Turkey during the G20 in Antalya in 2015. He had held bilateral talks with President Erdogan in Osaka, on the sidelines of the G20 in June this year. The Turkish leader had paid a two-day visit to India in July 2018.
Ministry of External Affairs officials said no such visit by the Prime Minister was under discussion.
However, Turkey’s Ambassador to India Şakir Özkan Torunlar told media that Modi’s visit was expected by his government.
