India Exclusive

07 February 2010

THE FIRST TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO INDIA IN 15 YEARS

As part of his schedule in India, President Abdullah Gül held a meeting with the Turkish businessmen in New Delhi who are accompanying him on his visit. Listening to the concerns of the Turkish firms carrying out their business in India, President Gül noted that Turkish-Indian economic relations that have accelarated in recent years are comparatively new and predicted that if these firms could be successful, they would open the way for others to come to this country to invest in this country.

Welcoming Ceremony

“TURKEY SHOULD SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY”

The economies of bigger countries, said the President, are very important not only for themselves, but also for the whole world, indeed and he underlined that India is the world’s third strongest economy, predicting that India and China would be the hubs of global manufacturing by 2030. Suggesting that Turkey could cooperate with India in informatics, President Gül claimed that this cooperation with a country that plans to make a 600 billion dollar investment would be a great opportunity that Turkey should not miss.

As part of his program in New Delhi, President Gül explored both the Humayun Tomb and Qutb Minar, and then hosted a luncheon for Indian opinion makers.

President Gül visited the tomb of Humayun Shah (c.1508 – 1556), who was a ruler in the Mughal state of Babur and whose ancestry leads back to Genghis Khan, Mr. Gül also had a look at the Qutb Minar, one of the earliest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture.

President Gül later had lunch with leading Indian opinion makers. During the luncheon, these Indian opinion makers pointed to the harmony between Turkey and India under the roof of G-20 and praised Turkey’s multi-dimensional, multilateral, dynamic and constructive foreign policy.

GÜL CALLS ON INDIAN BUSINESSMEN FOR INVESTMENT

President Gül attended a working luncheon given by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Association of Indian Chambers of Industry and Commerce (ASSOCHAM).

During his speech, President Gül said that the accompanying Turkish businessmen had seen for themselves how India was once again becoming a thriving economy. He reported that the Indian PM had told him of India’s plans to make a 500 billion dollar investment in infrastructure with the construction of some 13,000 km of roads across the country and he declared India to have a huge and dynamic economy.

“TURKEY CAN OFFER INDIAN BUSINESSMEN GREAT OPPORTUNITIES”

Turkey, a member of the E.U. Customs Union through which it boldly competes, claimed the president, grows by 7-8% every year and he declared that Turkey could offer Indian firms great opportunities. Turkey, continued the president, is a country easily be accessed by other surrounding countries with most of which it has signed free trade agreements. It is also a country that has managed to started trading with Russia in its own currency and which is carrying out her membership negotiations with the E.U. He then urged Indian businessmen to invest in Turkey.

President with businessmen

GÜL GRANTED HONORARY DOCTORATE BY AMITY UNIVERSITY

President Gül was granted an honorary doctorate in international relations by Amity University, situated in the southeast of New Delhi.

During his speech to the board of academics and students of the university, President Gül underlined the importance of education, and touched upon global problems and possible solutions to them. Education, said the President, is hugely influential in shaping the future for the better and he added that values such as democracy, peaceful coexistance, understanding one another, respect for human rights and the rule of law could only be implanted in the next generations through education.

Honorary Doctorate Ceremony at Amity University

“ASIA WILL LEAVE ITS MARK ON THE 21ST CENTURY”

Drawing attention to the necessity of the youth of Turkey, India and other countries to confront global problems, President Gül exclaimed: “Our generation has full confidence in yours. You are the future!” He further predicted that Asia with its particular significance for the future would leave its mark on the 21st century. “With its ever rising powers, growing economies, expanding capabilities and influence,” claimed the President, “Asia, to say the least, has already become a centre of gravity.”

TURKEY AND INDIA REDISCOVER EACH OTHER

After the welcoming ceremony, President Gül, answering an Indian reporter, said he hoped that his visit to this country would enable both countries to rediscover each other. President Gül pointed out that both Turkey and India are democratic and secular countries with a free market economy, and added that they both hold strategic importance in their regions.

Indo-Turkish political relations, said the president, are already good and he informed his audience that a number of Turkish businessmen are accompanying him on his visit.

Drawing attention to the potential for the development of economic relations between the two countries, President Gül said they should seize this opportunity. Later visiting the mausoleum of Mahatma Gandhi, the pacifist freedom fighter and founder of independent India, President Gül laid a wreath there and signed the book.

President Gül received the Indian FM, S.M. Krishna, at the hotel where he is staying, and met with the Indian PM, Manhoman Singh, at Hyderabad House.

Historic Sites

“TURKISH REPUBLIC ALWAYS STANDS BY YOU”

President Abdullah Gül met with Turkish expatriates residing in India at a gathering during which the first Indian-Turkish dictionary was promoted as well.

Shaking hands with the Turkish expatriates each, President Gül declared them to be a bridge between Turkey and India, adding that the doors of the Turkish Ambassy would be open to them all. “Turkish Republic always stands by you!,” exclaimed the president.

President Gül later received separately the Indian Vice President and the Speaker of Raja Sabha (House of States), hamid Ansari; the Indian opposing party (BJP) leader, Sushma Swaraj and the Indian President of the National Congress, Sonia Gandhi and then chatted with theTurkish reporters accompanying him.

President Abdullah Gül then attended a dinner given by the Indian President, Pratibha Patil at the Indian Presidential Palace (Rashtrapati Bhavan).

During his speech, President Gül expressed his delight at being in a part of the world where so many well-known poets, thinkers and politicians had been born, a country which had been home to many great civilisations and which was also the world’s biggest democracy.

Prsident with Turkish Expatriates

President’s Receptions

COMMON WORD: DOST (FRIEND)

Having described the two countries’ struggles for independence as milestones in their respective histories, President Gül said: “We will not forget the Indians’ support for the Turkish War of Independence. One of our shared words, dost, indicates the strong relations between the two countries.”

New Delhi