Turkey-Bangladesh Strategy: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ambition is to make Turkey the leader of the Islamic world. In this direction his focus is on Bangladesh. Due to the political changes in Bangladesh after the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Erdogan sees an opportunity to increase his influence there. Turkey is now trying to take advantage of India’s declining role in Bangladesh, due to which a new equation may emerge between the regional powers.
Turkey has rapidly expanded its presence in Bangladesh in recent years. Turkey has tried to promote trade, defense and cultural cooperation. A high-level delegation led by Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat met Bangladesh’s interim government chief Mohammad Yunus on January 9, 2025. This meeting made it clear that Turkey is ready to deepen its relations with Bangladesh, especially when relations between India and Bangladesh have weakened.
Request to invest in Bangladesh
During the discussion, Mohammad Yunus requested Turkey to invest in Bangladesh and suggested Turkey to utilize the young workforce of his country. He also sought Turkey’s help in developing Bangladesh’s defense industry, which can lead to the emergence of a new balance of power in the region.
Turkey’s defense cooperation in Bangladesh
One of the most important aspects of the Turkey-Bangladesh talks was the possibility of increasing cooperation in the defense sector. Mohammad Yunus openly said, “You are the leader of technology. You can establish defense industry here. Let’s start.” The statement reflects Bangladesh’s desire to strengthen its defense capability, and Turkey is ready to play a major role in this transformation.
Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat emphasized the possibilities of this cooperation and said that both countries can expand their cooperation beyond the textile industry. Turkey has already supplied drones to Bangladesh and now talks are going on between the two countries to acquire 26 Tulpar light tanks. This cooperation is taking Turkey-Bangladesh relations in a new direction, with Turkey emerging as a major defense partner of Bangladesh.
Turkey’s plan to replace India
Turkey’s ambitions are not limited to defense cooperation only. Ankara is now planning to replace India in the import market of Bangladesh. Omer Bolat clearly said, “We can replace India and other markets in Bangladesh’s imports.” Turkey is keen to establish comprehensive cooperation with Bangladesh in economic and social fields. Currently, about 20 major Turkish companies are active in Bangladesh in various sectors, including textiles, chemicals, engineering and energy.
Turkey-Pakistan-Bangladesh alliance
Turkey’s increasing influence in Bangladesh can be seen after the recent historic agreement between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Under this agreement, the navies of both the countries will conduct military exercises in the month of February 2025, which is happening for the first time since 1971. This alliance not only represents a major change in regional relations, but also a new challenge for India. This new alliance of Turkey-Pakistan-Bangladesh can be a matter of strategic concern for India, because it can weaken India’s position in South Asia. With this alliance, military and defense cooperation between these countries can become even stronger, which can become a serious strategic challenge for India.
What is the threat to India?
Turkey’s growing ties with Bangladesh and its deep ties with Pakistan can pose a strategic challenge to India. India and Bangladesh have had strong trade and defense cooperation for decades, but recent political changes and Bangladesh’s interest in diversifying its foreign partnerships may weaken India’s position.
turkish defense technology
Turkey’s supply of defense technology and equipment, such as drones and tanks, could strengthen Bangladesh’s military capabilities, thereby altering the regional balance of power. India will have to carefully assess this emerging equation and change its regional strategy to meet this challenge.
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