Imran Khan with Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Credits: DAWN)Following the recent speech of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the UN General Assembly which took a pro-Pakistan line on the Kashmir issue, the $2.3 billion project to supply fleet support ships (FSS) to the Indian Navy for which Turkey’s M/s Anadolu Shipyard has been shortlisted for the supply of may be put on hold, reports Financial Express.
“It could be a fall out of Turkey cosying up to Pakistan and raising Kashmir issue at the recently concluded 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA),” said a senior officer.
Even as an official contract has not been signed as of yet, M/s Anadolu Shipyard, owned by the TAIS industrial group was to provide technical assistance and supply important machinery during the final negotiations.
If the government decides to now remove TAIS from the final contract negotiations, it could mean a huge loss of potential revenues for the company, and may also lead to Turkish companies being denied a role in future Indian defence contracts.
This report comes after recent meetings Prime Minister Narendra Modi held with leaders of Armenia and Cyprus, which are both considered to be countries with historical tensions with Turkey.
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