India Must Grow Ties with Turkey, Iran

Turkey

has traditionally not figured much on the Indian diplomatic radar and vice versa. But a rapidly changing world order offers opportunities for both countries to collaborate on a range of issues, especially on countering terrorism and enhancing economic ties. The grounds for greater engagement seem to have been prepared during Turkish president Abdullah Gul's visit to India this week. Displaying welcome assertiveness, New Delhi was candid in expressing its displeasure on being left out of the regional conference on Afghanistan hosted by Istanbul in the run up to the London conference last month a move Turkey has admitted was the outcome of Pakistan's insistence in keeping India out. Turkey seems to have got the message and has committed to invite India to the next conference it will host later this year, the focus of which will be economic assistance to Afghanistan.

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