Latest news with #TCGBüyükada
See - Sada Elbalad
09-07-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Turkish Amb. Praises Egypt's Warm Hospitality for TCG BÜYÜKADA Corvette Visit to Alexandria
Ahmed Emam Turkish Ambassador to Egypt H.E. Salih Mutlu has praised the strong spirit of cooperation and friendship between Turkey and Egypt during the port visit of the Turkish Navy corvette TCG BÜYÜKADA to Alexandria, describing the reception as a symbol of growing ties between the two nations. In a post on X, Ambassador Mutlu highlighted that TCG Büyükada, built entirely with Turkish national resources and expertise, has successfully completed a three-month voyage that reached as far as Malaysia, returning to the Mediterranean through Alexandria. 'Our corvette, which safely crossed oceans, has accomplished this long journey and returned home to the familiar and serene waters of the Mediterranean,' he wrote. 'I extend my congratulations to the esteemed captain of the corvette and its distinguished crew for completing this mission with great skill and dedication.' The ambassador expressed deep gratitude for the hospitality shown by Egypt's naval leadership and officials during the visit. 'I would like to extend my thanks to the leadership of the Egyptian Navy for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to our ship and crew,' he added. 'I was pleased by the warmth I encountered from Egyptian military and civilian officials, as well as friends who joined the reception held aboard the corvette.' Ambassador Mutlu also shared new photos on X capturing moments from the reception and interactions between Turkish and Egyptian officials, highlighting the positive atmosphere and cordial relations during the event. The Turkish envoy underscored that such engagements reflect the positive momentum in Turkish-Egyptian relations and contribute to fostering regional stability and mutual understanding. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
See - Sada Elbalad
08-07-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Turkish Warship TCG Büyükada Makes Port Call in Alexandria After Three-Month Voyage
Ahmed Emam The Turkish corvette TCG Büyükada has arrived at the port of Alexandria, Egypt, marking the final stop of an extensive three-month journey that took the warship as far as Malaysia, according to Turkish Ambassador to Egypt H.E. Salih Mutlu. In a post on social media platform X, Ambassador Mutlu highlighted that the corvette was 'constructed with our indigenous resources and expertise' and had successfully crossed oceans to return to the Mediterranean. 'I commend our distinguished Commanding Officer and exceptional crew for their successful mission,' he said. However, he noted that the recent loss of twelve Turkish servicemen weighs heavily on the nation, tempering the sense of accomplishment over the voyage. Details regarding the circumstances of the losses were not specified. Also, Ambassador Mutlu expressed gratitude toward the Egyptian Naval Command for their warm welcome and hospitality. He also noted that a reception was held aboard the TCG Büyükada, hosting Egyptian military and civilian officials along with other guests. The visit underscores growing diplomatic and defense engagement between Turkey and Egypt following a period of strained relations in past years. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
The Print
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Print
Turkey's ‘Asia Anew' isn't just a slogan—it's a growing strategic surprise for India
Amid this global instability, Turkey is quietly deepening its footprint in the Indian subcontinent. Hours after Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, the Turkish Navy's Ada-class corvette, TCG Büyükada , docked in Colombo—its sixth such visit to Sri Lanka in a year. The personal reception by Sri Lanka's acting Defence Minister, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), signals Ankara's rising influence in the region. Once focused largely on Muslim-majority nations, Turkey's evolving engagement with non-Muslim states like Sri Lanka hints at a broader strategic pivot—one that deserves close attention in New Delhi's long-term security assessments. India finds itself navigating one of the most turbulent geopolitical periods in recent memory. The strategic alignment between Pakistan and China during Operation Sindoor—India's first two-front war—and Islamabad's engagement with the United States after that have complicated India's regional and global strategic calculus. In recent years, Turkey has rapidly expanded its defence footprint in the Indian subcontinent, emerging as the second-largest arms supplier, after China, to both Pakistan and Bangladesh. The strategic depth of its engagement with Pakistan is particularly evident in joint defence initiatives like the Turkish fifth-generation fighter project, Kaan. Beyond South Asia's continental core, Ankara is also extending its reach into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), including into the Maldives. However, it is Turkey's growing ties with Sri Lanka—a non-Muslim-majority state and one of the six key island nations in the IOR—that suggest a more comprehensive regional recalibration. Few have noted that Turkey has played a significant role in modernising Sri Lanka's naval capabilities—a point acknowledged by Jayasekara. Since 2021, Ankara has sought to intensify defence cooperation with Colombo, even as its partnerships with Pakistan and Bangladesh drew the spotlight in New Delhi. Today, both Sri Lanka and Turkey describe each other as 'extremely valuable allies,' signalling a strategic convergence that goes beyond defence. For the uninitiated, the six island nations of strategic importance—Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, and Comoros—may be small in landmass but command vast maritime zones. Turkey's growing assertive engagement in this arena shows a shift from identity-based diplomacy to one driven by geopolitical calculus. For India, this should raise concern not just over Turkey's growing presence in its maritime periphery, but also the potential for alignment with China—hinting at a broader strategy to counterbalance India's influence in the Indo-Pacific. But what strategic framework, then, enables NATO-member Turkey to deepen its Asian and Indo-Pacific ambitions? Also read: China's growing influence in Indian Ocean is worrying. It harms the region's stability Turkey's 'Asia Anew' Unveiled in August 2019, Turkey's 'Asia Anew' initiative represents a recalibrated foreign policy approach aimed at leveraging Asia's geopolitical and economic centrality in a multipolar world. Framed around cooperation in diplomacy, trade, education, and culture, 'Asia Anew', at first glance, appears to promote inclusive engagement. Yet beneath its inclusive rhetoric lies a more selective reality—most notably in the defence sector. While Ankara has expanded arms sales to countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, India—Asia's dominant regional power—has been conspicuously excluded, or rather blacklisted. Economically, Asia represents both promise and peril for Turkey. Although the region constitutes a third of Ankara's global trade, an overwhelming trade deficit—primarily with China—clouds the picture. Through free trade agreements with South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, Turkey seeks to integrate more deeply into regional supply chains. These efforts, bolstered by domestic export incentives, paint a positive economic narrative. However, this is only part of the picture. Strategically, Ankara is attempting a balancing act—strengthening ties with Asian powers while remaining anchored to NATO and the West. Yet internal policy debates reflect a deeper ambivalence. Eurasianists push for closer ties with China, while traditionalists caution against undermining transatlantic relationships. In practice, 'Asia Anew' has not yet produced transformative outcomes. A recent scholarly analysis noted the limited impact of the initiative across East and Southeast Asia, despite its four-year run. Still, Turkey possesses certain diplomatic assets. With 54 missions across Asia and leadership roles in regional forums like the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, Ankara has institutional tools to deepen ties. A thriving defence industry is another tool. Localised successes—especially in defence-industrial cooperation with Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and others—hint at important footholds if not yet strategic breakthroughs. From India's perspective, Turkey's narrative of 'shared Asian values' often rings hollow. Ankara's open alignment with Pakistan—especially its 360-degree support during Operation Sindoor and on the Kashmir issue—has significantly damaged its credibility in Indian policy circles. Far from appearing as a neutral, cooperative actor, Turkey increasingly looks like a state pursuing selective partnerships shaped by rivalry, not regional harmony. Ultimately, 'Asia Anew' is neither an empty slogan nor a fully realised strategy. It is a fluid, opportunistic framework—one that enables Ankara to frame its geopolitical ambitions under the broader guise of multipolarity. For New Delhi, this selective engagement raises red flags, as it reflects less a genuine Asian convergence and more a calculated attempt to reshape regional alignments—often in ways that directly challenge Indian interests. A subset of Asia Anew still requires separate mention. Also read: Amid Red Sea crisis and China's belligerence, Indian Ocean countries agree to keep zone stable Turkish presence in the IOR Turkey's push for indigenous defence production has allowed it to reduce dependency on its traditional Western allies and expand its strategic autonomy—especially in emerging geopolitical theatres. Remember that the Indian Ocean links Africa and Asia through an extensive network of Pacific waterways and ports. Turkey's growing defence exports have made significant inroads into Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and parts of the Horn of Africa, where Ankara's influence is increasingly visible. Somalia, in particular, exemplifies this transformation. With strong political and military agreements in place, Turkey is cementing its presence in the Horn and Red Sea regions—areas of vital strategic interest for India. Notably, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Somalia is witnessing increased Turkish naval activity, and discussions are underway for establishing a missile and space rocket test site there. This would not only bolster Ankara's long-range missile capabilities but also mark its entry into the global space arena—further enhancing its defence export appeal. In parallel, Turkey is extending its reach into the other sides of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as well. In 2024, the Maldives signed a major drone deal with Ankara and hosted the Turkish warship TCG Kinaliada, at a time when its relations with India were severely strained. This follows six Turkish naval visits to Sri Lanka within a single year—an engagement largely overlooked in Indian strategic discourse. While India's defence circles have monitored Turkey's growing alignment with Pakistan, they have not registered the broader, more subtle but steady encroachment occurring across the IOR. With India's strategic mindset still largely fixated on countering China, Turkey's growing regional assertiveness has slipped under the radar. Strategic discourse in India is still focussed on counterbalancing Turkey by deepening ties with Greece and Cyprus. While that is important, it may not be enough. Operation Sindoor may have been a turning point. The operation helped spark a more vigilant approach within Indian security circles toward regional developments. Turkey's emergence as a disruptive actor and potential arch-rival in India's maritime periphery should not be underestimated. The lack of peer-reviewed research or robust media engagement on this topic has been a strategic blind spot. If India fails to rigorously assess Ankara's evolving role in its near and extended backyard, it risks being encircled on yet another front. A comprehensive strategic review is no longer optional—it is imperative. Swasti Rao is a consulting editor at ThePrint and a foreign policy expert. She tweets @swasrao. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
India.com
05-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Big worry for India as Turkish warship arrives at Karachi Port amid Indo-Pakistan tensions, Pakistani Navy now plans to...
Islamabad: In a major development amid India-Pakistan tensions, a Turkish Navy warship, TCG Büyükada, has arrived in Pakistan. On Sunday, the Pakistan Navy stated that the ship has been docked at Karachi Port. Pakistan described this as a significant step toward strengthening maritime cooperation with Turkey. Recently, reports claimed that Turkey had supplied weapons to Pakistan. However, Turkey denied these reports, clarifying that its aircraft had only stopped in Pakistan for refueling and linking it to arms supplies was incorrect. The Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of the Pakistan Navy informed that the Turkish naval ship was warmly welcomed by Pakistan Navy officials upon its arrival at the Karachi Port. The statement noted that TCG Büyükada will stay at the Karachi Port for a few days. During this time, the ship's crew members will work alongside personnel from the Pakistan Navy. This collaboration is expected to enhance mutual understanding and strengthen cooperation between the naval forces of both countries. Turkey-Pakistan Defense Relations In the recent years, both Turkey and Pakistan have strengthened their defense relations. It is important to note that Turkish defense companies are helping Pakistan to upgrade its submarines. Pakistan is also receiving military equipment such as drones from Turkey. Both countries regularly conduct joint military exercises. Recently, they conducted a joint exercise named Atatürk-XIII, in which special forces from both countries participated. The military cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan is not new, but the arrival of TCG Büyükada comes at a time when tensions are high between Pakistan and India over the Pahalgam terrorist attack. India has accused Pakistan of being behind the attack. Although Islamabad has denied the allegation, relations between the two countries have hit a very low point since the incident. In this context, the Turkish ship's arrival in Karachi has drawn India's attention. After the Pahalgam attack, incidents of firing along the Line of Control have increased. Both countries have canceled each other's citizens' visas. They have also closed their airspace to one another and completely halted trade. India and Pakistan have each conducted some tests and exercises to showcase their military strength.
Arab News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Turkish naval ship arrives in Pakistan on visit to strengthen maritime cooperation
ISLAMABAD: A Turkish naval ship, TCG Büyükada, has arrived in Pakistan on a visit to strengthen maritime cooperation between the two countries, Pakistan Navy said on Sunday. Pakistan and Türkiye share close diplomatic, economic and defense ties. Turkish defense firms have helped modernize Pakistan's Agosta 90B-class submarines and supplied military equipment, including drones, to Islamabad. The two countries regularly hold joint military exercises, most recently the Ataturk-XIII drills, which involved combat teams from the two special forces and aimed to enhance interoperability between them. Upon arrival at the Karachi port, the Turkish naval ship was warmly welcomed by officials from both navies, according to the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy. 'During its stay in Karachi, the crew of TCG Büyükada will engage in a series of professional interactions with Pakistan Navy personnel,' the DGPR said. 'The visit aims to enhance mutual understanding and strengthen maritime cooperation between the two navies.' The development comes at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and India over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22. New Delhi has blamed the attack on Pakistan. Islamabad has denied involvement and called for a credible international probe into it. Since the attack, both nations have traded fire over their de facto in Kashmir, while diplomats have exchanged barbs and both countries have expelled citizens and ordered their land border shut. Both Pakistani and Indian forces have conducted military drills in a show of their military might, while Pakistan has Pakistan has test-fired a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers, amid fears India may conduct limited strikes against Pakistan on the pretext of the Kashmir attack. With Islamabad engaged in active diplomacy to project its stance over the issue, Turkish Ambassador Dr. Irfan Neziroglu met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed Ankara's solidarity with Pakistan, Sharif's office said on Saturday. 'The goodwill visit of TCG Büyükada stands as a testament to the ever-strengthening maritime collaboration between Pakistan and Türkiye,' the DGPR said. 'It reflects the deep-rooted mutual trust and strategic partnership between the two brotherly nations, anchored in centuries-old historical and cultural ties.'
