India and Turkey relation strengthened after PM Modi and Turkish President holds talk

Signalling a way forward in their ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan explored potential in areas like trade and investment, defence and security, civil aviation and shipping.

The two met on Sunday evening at the end of the G20 summit. Relations with Turkiye are stabilising since India extended relief for the earthquake in February and with the rise of Indian investors to Europe using Turkiye as a gateway.

Later, talking to reporters, Erdogan described India as his country's "greatest trade partner in South Asia."


"Turkiye and India, which is our biggest trading partner in South Asia, have a serious potential in many fields, especially economy," said Erdogan, as he seeks trade and investment to boost his country's economy.

During the meeting between the two leaders, relations between the countries were discussed in all their dimensions, according to Turkish officials. Projects that would increase economic cooperation and bilateral trade volume, as well as current regional and international issues concerning both countries, were also on the agenda.

Turkish officials affirmed that India and Turkiye have similar approaches to the Russia-Ukraine war and favour diplomatic solutions to the crisis.

Trade volume between India and Turkiye rose from $5.7 billion in 2020 to $12.3 billion in 2022. Indian companies have invested about $ 126 million in Turkiye (as per Central Bank of Turkiye data) and Turkish investment in India is about $210.47 million (as per Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, India).

India was also one of the first nations to send relief and rescue help to Turkiye in the wake of the February earthquakes that killed over 52,000 people in the south-eastern regions.