Read the full statement.
President of the Republic of Turkey, H.E. Mr. RecepTayyip Erdogan, paid a state visit to India from 30 April-01 May 2017. President Erdogan had earlier visited India in 2008 as the Prime Minister of Turkey. President Erdogan was accompanied by First Lady Mme Erdogan and five Cabinet Ministers (Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci, Minister of Energy Berat Albayrak, Minister of Culture and Tourism Nabi Avcı, Minister of Transport, Communications and Maritime Affairs Ahmet Arslan). Chief of General Staff General Hulusi Akar, parliamentarians, senior officials and a 150-member business delegation from Turkey were also accompanying President Erdogan.
During the visit, President Erdogan was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. President Erdogan also laid a wreath at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee held a meeting with President Erdogan, and also hosted a banquet in the honour of President Erdogan. The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi held a one-to-one meeting with President Erdogan, followed by discussions at delegation level. The Vice President of India Shri Mohammed Hamid Ansari and the Minister of External Affairs of India, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, separately called on President Erdogan.
President Erdogan was also accompanied by a high-level business delegation. An India-Turkey Business Forum meeting for the visiting Turkish businessmen and their Indian business counterparts was organized during the visit. It was addressed by the President of Turkey and PM. President Erdoğan was conferred a Honorary degree (Honoris Causa) by Jamia Millia Islamia University.
India-Turkey-A Stable & Friendly Partnership
Both Prime Minister Modi and President Erdogan, during the discussions, affirmed that the relationship between India and Turkey was anchored in historical exchanges between the leaders and the peoples of the two nations. The richly diverse and secular democracies of both nations provide a valuable base to further cement the ties between the two nations.
Both leaders agreed that India and Turkey, being among the top 20 economies in the world with sound economic fundamentals and increasing convergence of positions, could contribute to addressing international issues of mutual interest such as new economic order, stability and security of the respective regions.
The two leaders noted that bilateral relations between the two nations have been strengthened by the exchange of high-level visits from both sides.
Trade & Economic cooperation for mutual prosperity
Both leaders noted the current levels of bilateral trade standing at USD 6.4 billion and agreed that the trade and investment relations between India and Turkey had immense untapped potential for growth. The two leaders agreed to encourage business efforts to achieve a level of at least USD 10 billion by 2020 in bilateral trade. Both leaders expressed their willingness for holding of the Turkey-India Joint Economic Committee Meetings regularly.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction that the Business Forum held during the state visit provided a platform for the business community to further explore commercial opportunities.
Prime Minister Modi highlighted that Turkish investments in India’s manufacturing sector, especially in India’s flagship programmes like “Make in India” would be mutually beneficial to both sides. President Erdogan agreed that India’s infrastructure requirements and their ambitious vision of developing Smart Cities match well with Turkish capacities in construction industry. Both leaders agreed that mutual cooperation in the field of IT, pharmaceuticals, health and tourism is beneficial to growth of bilateral trade between the two nations.
Pointing to the importance of energy in bilateral relations, both leaders expressed their willingness to improve cooperation in the fields of hydrocarbons, renewable energy (solar and wind) and energy efficiency.
Both leaders agreed that cooperation between India and Turkey in the field of tourism would be useful for enhancing people-to-people contact between the two nations. In this context, both leaders expressed their desire to further encourage tourist exchanges between the two countries within the framework of the “Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism” signed in 1995.Prime Minister Modi highlighted in this regard that Indian film industry is now producing films and television shows abroad, which will eventually lead to increased tourist interest.
Both leaders agreed on the necessity of holding frequent civil aviation meetings to boost bilateral cooperation and discuss the pending issues in that field in order to encourage the people-to-people contacts.
Cultural Cooperation
Both leaders laid high emphasis on people-to-people contact and strengthening cultural linkages between the two nations. The two leaders noted that ties of culture and language - the Sufi traditions, the exchanges and influences of the Turkish language on Hindi and vice versa among other linkages - provide a deep connect between our people. They agreed that the new Cultural Exchange Programme would further cement cultural connections and institutional relations.
India and Turkey-Partners in International Cooperation
Multilateral Export Control Regimes
India and Turkey are united by common interests in preventing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems as well as in strengthening Multilateral Export Control Regimes. The two leaders underlined their shared interest in strengthening global non-proliferation objectives. In this regard, President Erdogan welcomed India’s accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in June 2016. Prime Minister Modi thanked President Erdogan for Turkey’s support for India’s membership of the MTCR and applications to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group and Wassenaar Arrangement.
Counter-Terrorism
The two leaders exchanged views on other international issues of common concern, most notably the fight against terrorism.
The two leaders reiterated their strong condemnation of and resolute opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever committed and by whomever, and declared that there could be no justification for terrorism anywhere. Both sides urged all countries and entities to work sincerely to disrupt terrorist networks and their financing, and stop cross-border movement of terrorists.
Both leaders strongly condemned the use of double standards in addressing the menace of terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism both at the bilateral level and within the multilateral system. In this regard, they called for early conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
UN Cooperation and UN Reforms
The two leaders jointly agreed that the delegations of both countries to the United Nations must cooperate closely and agreed on continuing with this close cooperation at the UN fora.
Recognising the need for comprehensive UN reforms including the Security Council expansion to make the body more representative, accountable and effective, both sides agreed to work towards the reform of the UN Security Council in order to enhance its democratic nature and to reflect the reality of the twenty-first century.
Agreements
The following bilateral agreements and memorandum of understanding were signed during the visit:
Cultural Exchange Program for 2017-2020
MoU for Cooperation between Foreign Service Institute of India and Diplomacy Academy of Turkey
Agreement between the Government of The Republic of Turkey and the Government of The Republic of India on Gainful Occupation for Family Members of the Members of Diplomatic Mission or Consular Post
MoU between Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India and Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA), Turkey
Cooperation Agreement between Press Trust of India (PTI) and Anadolu Agency (AA) of Turkey
Conclusion
Both sides expressed satisfaction with regular high-level contacts between the two countries that provide the much-needed impetus to progressive enhancement and deepening of bilateral ties across the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation.
President Erdogan extended invitations to the President of India and to the Prime Minister of India for visiting Turkey at mutually convenient time.
President of the Republic of Turkey H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation.
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