{"id":340067,"date":"2025-06-11T19:53:32","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T14:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=340067"},"modified":"2025-06-15T19:06:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T13:36:23","slug":"turkiye-expands-regional-influence-by-blending-islamism-and-pragmatism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/turkiye-expands-regional-influence-by-blending-islamism-and-pragmatism\/","title":{"rendered":"T\u00fcrkiye expands regional influence by blending Islamism and pragmatism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source<\/strong>: The post T\u00fcrkiye expands regional influence by blending Islamism and pragmatism has been created, based on the article \u201cErdogan<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s neo-Ottoman foreign policy<\/strong>\u201d published in \u201cThe Hindu<\/strong>\u201d on 11 June 2025. T\u00fcrkiye expands regional influence by blending Islamism and pragmatism.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"T\u00fcrkiye<\/p>\n

UPSC Syllabus Topic:<\/strong> GS Paper2-International Relations-Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and\/or affecting India\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n

Context<\/strong>: T\u00fcrkiye, under President Erdogan, blends Islamist-leaning policies with NATO commitments. This strategy has expanded its role across West Asia and the Caucasus. However, economic instability and authoritarian trends pose serious domestic challenges.<\/p>\n

Historical Backdrop and Policy Shifts<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. From Ataturk to NATO Partnership:<\/strong> The Republic of T\u00fcrkiye, established in 1923, embraced secularism and peaceful diplomacy. After WWII, T\u00fcrkiye joined the Western bloc and became a key NATO ally due to its strategic location across the Black Sea, Mediterranean, and West Asia.<\/li>\n
  2. Erdogan<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Initial Focus on Stability:<\/strong> The AKP came to power in 2002 after prolonged political and economic instability. Erdogan prioritized economic reforms and Western integration. He built strong ties with the U.S. and sought EU membership, projecting T\u00fcrkiye as a loyal ally.<\/li>\n
  3. Foreign Policy Shift Post-Arab Spring:<\/strong> The Arab Spring in the early 2010s marked a change. Erdogan saw protests as a path to revive regional influence by backing Islamist movements and aligning with popular uprisings in the Arab world.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ideological Roots and Regional Ambitions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Ottoman Legacy of Islamic Unity:<\/strong> Sultan Hamid II\u2019s doctrine of Ittihad-i Islam aimed to unite Muslims against Western powers. This legacy influenced T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s modern Islamists, who advocated closer ties with Muslim nations and resistance to Western dominance.<\/li>\n
    2. Islamist Rise through AKP:<\/strong> Erdogan, a former leader in the Virtue Party, founded the AKP after Islamist parties were banned. His 2002 victory brought Islamists to power and gradually aligned foreign policy with Erbakan\u2019s vision of Islamic solidarity.<\/li>\n
    3. Support for Islamist Movements:<\/strong> T\u00fcrkiye backed the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, anti-Assad forces in Syria, and Islamist factions in Libya after the fall of Gaddafi, aiming to expand its regional reach through ideological partners.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Blending Islamism with Strategic Caution<\/strong><\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Maintaining NATO and Western Ties:<\/strong> Despite ideological shifts, T\u00fcrkiye remained a NATO member and host to U.S. military bases. Erdogan avoided rupturing Western ties while asserting regional influence.<\/li>\n
      2. Calculated Moves in Conflict Zones:<\/strong> In Syria, T\u00fcrkiye protected HTS and created buffer zones, balancing pressure from Russia. In Libya, it supported the Tripoli-based Islamist government while managing competing interests.<\/li>\n
      3. Smart Diplomacy and Defense Deals:<\/strong> T\u00fcrkiye supported Azerbaijan in the 2023 war against Armenia using Turkish drones. It also sold drones to Ukraine, avoided Russian sanctions, and bought S400s from Russia. Erdogan backed Sweden and Finland\u2019s NATO entry to ease U.S. tensions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Expanding Strategic Reach<\/strong><\/h2>\n
          \n
        1. Stronger Presence in West Asia:<\/strong> T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s military base in Qatar and its stance near the Israeli border reflect growing presence in the Gulf. HTS\u2019s 2024 takeover of Damascus enhanced its profile in Syria.<\/li>\n
        2. Role in the Caucasus and South Asia:<\/strong> T\u00fcrkiye helped Azerbaijan defeat Armenia, a Russian ally. While T\u00fcrkiye supports Pakistan, its role in South Asia remains marginal.<\/li>\n
        3. Balancing Multiple Rivalries: <\/strong>Though ties with Saudi Arabia and the UAE have improved, trust is limited. T\u00fcrkiye continues to balance Russian and Western concerns in the Caucasus and Black Sea.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Internal Pressures and Strategic Risks<\/strong><\/h2>\n
            \n
          1. Economic Decline and Centralization:<\/strong> T\u00fcrkiye faces hyperinflation, currency depreciation, and rising unrest. Erdogan has centralized power, turned the system into an executive presidency, and suppressed opposition.<\/li>\n
          2. Growing Authoritarianism:<\/strong> Key opposition figures like Istanbul\u2019s mayor have been arrested. Erdogan cannot run in 2028 under the current Constitution, creating political uncertainty.<\/li>\n
          3. Uncertain Strategic Payoff:<\/strong> Despite tactical wins abroad, instability in Syria and Libya, fragile Gulf ties, and domestic vulnerabilities challenge T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s long-term regional ambitions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Question for practice:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            Discuss<\/strong> how T\u00fcrkiye balances its Islamist foreign policy with its commitments as a NATO member.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Source: The post T\u00fcrkiye expands regional influence by blending Islamism and pragmatism has been created, based on the article \u201cErdogan\u2019s neo-Ottoman foreign policy\u201d published in \u201cThe Hindu\u201d on 11 June 2025. T\u00fcrkiye expands regional influence by blending Islamism and pragmatism. UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-International Relations-Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and\/or… Continue reading T\u00fcrkiye expands regional influence by blending Islamism and pragmatism<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":340457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230],"tags":[212,239,10498],"class_list":["post-340067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","tag-gs-paper-2","tag-international-relations","tag-the-hindu","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Turkiye-expands-regional-influence-by-blending-Islamism-and-pragmatism.png?fit=1280%2C850&ssl=1","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=340067"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340067\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/340457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=340067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=340067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=340067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}