Turkey should stay out of India-Pakistan conflict: Global investor Jim Rogers

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Turkey should stay out of the conflict between India and Pakistan and should not supply arms to the country, said global investor Jim Rogers on Saturday.

His comments came as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported Pakistan of using Turkish-made drones in India’s ongoing ‘Operation Sindoor’ which started in the aftermath of the barbaric Pahalgam tragedy that claimed 26 lives.

“I would not want anyone to supply arms to Pakistan or India. I hope Turkey will stay out of it,” Rogers said in an interaction with IANS.

“If I were advising Turkey, I would say stay out of it. Stay home. Let's leave it alone,” he added.

In a press briefing on Friday, the MEA said that Pakistan used 300-400 Turkish drones to attempt infiltration at 36 locations in India and tried to target the country’s military installations on May 8-9.

While the Indian armed forces are analysing the drones, "initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones", said Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, during the press conference.

The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means.

Designed and manufactured by Turkey-based defence company Asisguard, Songar drones were first launched in April 2019 and delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) after successful completion of their testing in February 2020. They are Turkey’s first indigenous armed drones.

Meanwhile, major Indian travel companies like EaseMyTrip, Cox & Kings and Travomint have suspended all packages to Turkey for supporting Pakistan.

Besides Turkey, there is also a complete halt on bookings to Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, aligning with national sentiment and reflecting growing concern over safety and diplomatic implications.

The decision marks a broader industry shift, where businesses are increasingly mindful of their international engagements and their impact on national interests.

The government of Azerbaijan issued a statement condemning India’s military action, expressing concern over civilian casualties and urging diplomatic resolution.

--IANS

rvt/na