Turkey-Uzbek defence pact will upset India's Central Asia plan

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, November 14

After becoming another Dubai in promoting anti-India influence operations in Kashmir, Turkey may soon pose another headache for Indian strategists with its forays in Central Asia. In addition to being at odds with each other on Kashmir, Turkey and India are supporting opposite sides in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Turkey’s inking of a broad-based military framework agreement with Uzbekistan, the most populous and strategically situated of the five Central Asian countries, could become another irritant in their bilateral relations because it will bring Pakistan in the wake.

Ankara’s increased security and defence proximity with Tashkent would rub against India’s attempt to promote a partnership with Uzbekistan to utilise Iran’s India-run Chabahar port for trade in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Chabahar is merely 200 km from the Gwadar port at the tail-end of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which Pakistan is trying to promote.

Turkey and Pakistan have been moving on the world stage in tandem, as has been seen by their similar sounding statements on Kashmir. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had hit back after Erdogan had weighed in on Kashmir during his speech at the UN General Assembly’s segment in September.

The Turkish-Pakistani solidarity on Kashmir has been bolstered by their partnership in militarily backing Azerbaijan in its war on Armenia which, on the other hand, is supported by India and Russia.

Indian planners will be forced to recalculate if Turkey manages to operationalise its defence agreement with Uzbekistan, especially in the areas of intelligence sharing, joint exercises, training and logistics cooperation. Two intelligence reports had last year pointed out Turkish influence operations in the subcontinent as it seeks a greater footprint among Muslims beyond West Asia.

The defence agreement with Uzbekistan, apprehend sources, is part of that desire but it has the probability of catering to the interest of its sole regional ally Pakistan as well.

Might reconsider options

• The defence pact will upset India’s plan to promote a partnership with Uzbekistan to utilise Chabahar port
• India trades with Afghanistan and Central Asia via Chabahar port, bypassing Pakistan; the port is 200 km from Gwadar
• India will be forced to reconsider its options if Turkey manages to operationalise its agreement with Uzbekistan

Mega naval exercise to start today

• The Indian Navy will conduct a coastal defence exercise ‘Sea Vigil 2022’ on Nov 15 and 16
• The naval exercise involving all stakeholders, states and central govt agencies will set the tempo of the operations
• The aim is to check preparedness of various agencies to deal with any eventuality and bolster overall maritime security
• It will involve all 13 coastal states and Union Territories along with other maritime stakeholders
• 7,516 kmcoastline and exclusive economic zone of India to be covered