Türkiye Meddles Again: FM Hakan Fidan Raises Kashmir Issue In Parliament Budget Speech

Last Updated:November 28, 2025, 10:22 IST

Fidan used his budget speech to say Kashmir must be solved through “international law and dialogue”, a stance India has repeatedly rejected.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. (REUTERS)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, during a parliamentary budget session on 18 November in Ankara, referred to the Kashmir issue while speaking about regional conflicts in South Asia, saying it should be resolved “on the basis of international law and through dialogue”.

Fidan’s remarks came as he presented the 2026 budget for Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the Planning and Budget Committee. While the primary focus of the speech was the ministry’s budget and foreign-policy priorities, the irrelevant reference to Kashmir underlined Ankara’s continued interest beyond its immediate neighbourhood.

“We continue to emphasise that the conflicts in the region, especially the Kashmir issue, must be resolved on the basis of international law and through dialogue,” Fidan said in his speech.

“The escalation between India and Pakistan in May once again demonstrated the importance of resolving conflicts in this region through dialogue,” he added.

In May, after the precision strikes under Operation Sindoor carried out by the Indian armed forces targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Türkiye was the first country to publicly back Islamabad.

The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “FM of Türkiye @HakanFidan called DPM/FM @MIshaqDar50 to express Türkiye’s solidarity with Pakistan against India’s unprovoked aggression violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and killing innocent civilians.”

The ministry added that Fidan “expressed concern over the deteriorating regional security situation”, and that both ministers agreed to “remain in close coordination on the evolving situation”.

Fidan’s deliberate invocation of Kashmir during a budget speech is likely to be taken adversely by the Indian government, as India has on many occasions reiterated that Kashmir is not a dispute and is unquestionably an integral part of the country.

India has repeatedly rejected such statements, insisting that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and urging Turkey to respect its sovereignty.

Turkey’s recent engagement with the Kashmir issue draws from earlier interventions by senior Turkish leaders. In September 2025, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan again referred to Kashmir as an “issue”, urging that it be resolved under UN resolutions and through dialogue between the concerned parties. This reflects Ankara’s continued attempt to frame the matter as one requiring international attention.

Rejecting Erdoğan’s remarks at the UNGA, India had officially said: “We reject such objectionable comments on matters that are internal to India. We have lodged a strong protest with the Turkish ambassador. Such unwarranted statements on India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are unacceptable.”

Who Is Hakan Fidan?

Hakan Fidan has steered a multifaceted career spanning military service, academia, national intelligence, and now diplomacy. He headed the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency and went on to serve as the head of Türkiye’s national intelligence agency for over a decade.

In June 2023, Fidan was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, becoming the first former intelligence chief to lead Türkiye’s diplomacy in the contemporary era.

General About the Author

Ankur Sharma

With over 15 years of journalistic experience, Ankur Sharma, Associate Editor, specializes in internal security and is tasked with providing comprehensive coverage from the Ministry of Home Affairs, paramilitar…Read More

With over 15 years of journalistic experience, Ankur Sharma, Associate Editor, specializes in internal security and is tasked with providing comprehensive coverage from the Ministry of Home Affairs, paramilitar…

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