Modi to visit Turkey this year: Turkey ambassador

Turkish Ambassador to India Burak Akcapar said here on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Turkey this year and reiterated his country's commitment to a strategic relation with India.

Participating in an Indo-Turkish symposium at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here, Akcapar said Modi's visit will be the first by an Indian prime minister to Turkey after a gap of 13 years.

In the last four years, four ministerial visits took place and the Indian vice-president visited Turkey after 13 years and the president of India visited Turkey in 2014 after 15 years, he said.

Akcapar said there was scope for significant increase in political, economic, and scientific ties between the two nations, besides friendship and culture.

"Our two countries are very important countries and our profile is increasing," said Akcapar.

"We have a lot to discuss with India, we want strategic relations with India. Turkey is committed to that," he said, adding that Turkey's relationship with India was at an infant stage and will grow.

Akcapar said the state-to-state relations needed improvement. "We have made significant errors in political relations...."

"The historical dimension needs to be brought to the limelight and studied. Many stories need to be highlighted," he said.

The ambassador said the relations between India and Turkey were not confined to Muslims from the two countries but included all sections.

Akcapar was grateful for the Indian medical mission to Turkey -- when an Indian Medical Mission in 1912-13 served in the war-torn Ottoman Empire for more than six months -- and appreciated India for its robust economic development since its independence.

He praised India for its Mars Orbiter Mission, adding that only India could do it at a cost of $70 million.

The two-day symposium on March 26 and 27 is scheduled to deliberate on wide ranging topics centred on India and Turkey with participation of Turkish professors, Indian professors and students.