Erdogan raises Kashmir issue at UNGA again, calls for dialogue under UN Charter

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised the Kashmir issue again at the United Nations General Assembly, calling for disputes in South Asia to be addressed through dialogue and within the framework of the UN Charter.

"In South Asia, it is important that all disputes, including the Kashmir issue, be addressed through dialogue within the framework of the United Nations Charter and of relevant resolutions," Erdogan said in his address on Tuesday. He has repeatedly used the UNGA platform to raise the Kashmir issue in recent years, despite India's consistent objections.advertisement❮❯ Read Full StoryERDOGAN’S REMARKS ON KASHMIR OVER THE YEARSErdogan has used his UNGA addresses to comment on Kashmir on several occasions. His remarks have varied in tone, but the issue has remained a recurring feature of his speeches.

The most contentious comments came in 2019, shortly after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.

At the 74th UNGA in September 2019, Erdogan said "8 million people are virtually under blockade, unfortunately, unable to step outside of Kashmir". He also argued that the international community had failed to give sufficient attention to the dispute over the preceding 72 years.

The remarks drew a strong response from New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled a planned visit to Turkey, while India also moved to scale back defence cooperation with Ankara. India made clear that Turkey should respect the sovereignty of other countries and avoid commenting on India's internal affairs.

Erdogan continued to speak about Kashmir in subsequent UNGA addresses. In 2021, he described Kashmir as an "ongoing problem for 74 years" and called for a resolution that reflected the "aspirations of our Kashmiris".

India again objected to the remarks.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Erdogan's repeated comments "reflected neither an understanding of history nor of the conduct of diplomacy". New Delhi also warned that such interventions could have implications for bilateral ties.

After a period in which Kashmir received less attention in his UN remarks, Erdogan again raised the issue at the 80th UNGA session in 2025. His comments came after a brief period of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

"We are pleased with the ceasefire achieved following the tensions... The issue of Kashmir should be resolved on the basis of UN resolutions," Erdogan said.

The remarks again drew a response from India, which reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country. New Delhi also objected to attempts to use an international forum to raise what it considers a bilateral and internal matter.- EndsPublished By: Sonali VermaPublished On: Sep 22, 2026 21:43 IST