Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to express solidarity after India launched missile strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, the worst military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in over two decades.
According to a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdoğan praised Islamabad’s “calm and restrained policies” amid the escalating crisis and affirmed Turkey’s support for Pakistan during this volatile period.
“President Erdoğan stated that Turkey was ready to do what it can to prevent the tensions from escalating,” the statement read, adding that diplomatic efforts were already underway to mediate the conflict.
The phone call came as tensions reached new heights, with Pakistan confirming it shot down five Indian fighter jets in response to the missile attacks. Pakistan has vowed further retaliation while calling for international intervention to avoid an all-out conflict.
Erdoğan also backed Pakistan’s demand for an independent investigation into the April 22 bombing in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 people. India has accused Pakistan of involvement — a charge Islamabad firmly denies.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry had earlier condemned India’s military action and warned it risked igniting an “all-out war,” calling on both sides to act with common sense and seek diplomatic solutions.
The Turkish president’s outreach highlights Ankara’s growing role as a mediator in Muslim-majority nations and reflects the strong bilateral ties between Turkey and Pakistan, rooted in historical, religious, and strategic cooperation.
The international community, including the United States, China, and the United Nations, has echoed calls for restraint amid growing fears that continued military engagement could spiral into a broader regional crisis.
