ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday he had thanked President Reccep Tayipp Erdogan for Turkiye’s “resolute support” to Pakistan in a recent military standoff with India, which had resulted in Islamabad’s victory.

The four-day military standoff, which ended on May 10 with a United States-brokered ceasefire, resulted from an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people last month. India accused Pakistan of backing the assault, a charge Islamabad has consistently denied, calling for a credible, international probe into it.

Both nuclear-armed nations have continued to push competing narratives and claim success of their fighter jet, missile, drone and artillery strikes against the other. India says it dismantled several “terrorist camps” and destroyed Pakistani military targets, while Pakistan says it downed six Indian fighter jets, and destroyed an air defense system and damaged Indian air bases.

Sharif on Sunday embarked on a regional diplomacy tour and arrived in Istanbul, where he met Erdogan and discussed with him cooperation between the two countries in defense, energy and infrastructure sectors. Both leaders followed up on the implementation of key decisions taken during the 7th session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council held in Islamabad on Feb. 13. 

“Had the honor of meeting my dear brother President Reccep Tayipp Erdogan in Istanbul this evening. Thanked him for his resolute support to Pakistan in the recent Pakistan India standoff which resulted in Pakistan’s overwhelming victory,” Sharif said on X.

“Conveyed the sentiments of gratitude from the people of Pakistan to their Turkish brothers and sisters.”

Turkiye expressed solidarity with Islamabad during the military standoff with India. Ankara also maintains cordial ties with India but after Erdogan’s expression of support for Pakistan and reports of Islamabad sending Turkish-made drones into Indian territory in the recent conflict, Indian grocery shops and major online fashion retailers have boycotted Turkish products. Indian travel firms have also reported a drop in Turkiye bookings.

Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety but rule it in part. The conflict had raised fears that it could spiral into a full-blown war.

Sharif said they also reviewed the ongoing progress of multifaceted bilateral engagements, particularly in trade and investment, and reaffirmed their resolve to continue working closely to further strengthen these “unshakable bonds of brotherhood and cooperation.”

“Emphasizing the need to further strengthen economic cooperation, particularly through joint ventures and enhanced bilateral investment, the prime minister highlighted key sectors including renewable energy, information technology, defense production, infrastructure development, and agriculture as areas of mutual interest and potential,” his office said on Sunday, following delegation-level talks between the two leaders.

“Both sides agreed to take steps for achieving 5 billion USD annual bilateral trade target as agreed earlier.”

Turkiye and Pakistan, both Muslim-majority nations, have long-standing ties, and Ankara had appealed for the two sides to avoid an all-out war.

Erdogan’s office said he had told Sharif it was in the interest of Turkiye and Pakistan to increase “solidarity” in education, intelligence-sharing and technological support in the fight against militancy.