Turkish analyst refutes German Bild’s report of India rejecting Türkiye’s BRICS membership
President Erdogan (L) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) as they meet on the occasion of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia on October 23, 2024. (AA Photo)
Turkish foreign policy expert Sinan Ulgen refuted claims made by the German news outlet Bild on Wednesday, which quoted him as saying that India had rejected Türkiye’s BRICS membership bid.
Ulgen clarified that the report misrepresented his statements regarding Türkiye’s diplomatic standing.
“I had given an interview to Bild on the matter BRICS, but the article left out many (of the nuances on the matter),” Ulgen said in a post on X.
Bild’s report denied by Turkish presidency
Turkish presidency announced that BRICS did not have any expansion talks on its agenda during the Kazan summit.
The presidency noted that any report alleging that India blocked Türkiye’s membership is totally baseless.
Bild falsely called former Turkish diplomat as ‘BRICS insider’
Bild had quoted Ulgen as saying that India rejected Türkiye’s bid to join BRICS due to Ankara’s close relations with India.
In Bild’s report, Ulgen was dubbed as a ‘BRICS insider’ although Ulgen is simply a former Turkish diplomat working for a think-tank.
“India is indeed (distancing itself) from Türkiye,” Ulgen said, but the issue of Türkiye’s membership was not voted on in the summit, so there was no case of an Indian veto.
Ulgen also noted that other countries share India’s concerns regarding the rapid expansion of BRICS, suggesting that the issue remains unresolved.
Türkiye’s application to BRICS, implications
Ahead of the 16th BRICS Summit, Türkiye reportedly submitted a formal application to join the bloc, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. While nations such as Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia have recently been accepted into the alliance, Türkiye’s bid did not move forward.
The bid, according to Ulgen, was not voted on, though there are reports of opposition from several member states.
India’s alleged role in Türkiye’s BRICS bid
According to the Bild report, India was a significant factor in the stagnation of Türkiye’s bid because of Ankara’s close ties with Pakistan. As a result, Türkiye’s BRICS membership would have required unanimous approval, a condition that was not met.
India’s opposition reflects longstanding geopolitical tensions between itself and Pakistan, influencing its stance on Türkiye’s membership.
Erdogan’s strategic objectives behind BRICS membership
Ulgen noted several motivations behind President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s push for BRICS membership. He pointed to the desire for “strategic autonomy” and a platform to express Türkiye’s frustration with both stalled EU accession talks and the slow progress in modernizing the EU-Türkiye customs union.
The BRICS bid also highlights Erdogan’s aim to position Türkiye as a key player on both NATO and BRICS fronts, although critics argue that this approach could lead to further diplomatic isolation.
