When they heard that Turkey would sell tanks, they were furious.

According to information obtained from defense sources, Bangladesh has started negotiations to purchase the TULPAR tank produced by Otokar Automotive and Defense Industries Inc. Bangladesh plans to buy 26 TULPAR tanks, and as a result of ongoing talks with Otokar, deliveries are expected to take place this year.

Foreign press, which reported the TULPAR claim on the front page, wrote that Turkey is not only warm to the agreement but will also assist in the tender and technical offers. However, the Indian government has been disturbed by news of Turkey selling tanks to Bangladesh. Reports in the foreign press suggested that India, which frequently experiences tensions with Bangladesh, is trying to get closer to Turkey to halt the agreement.

INDIA WAS ALSO DISTURBED BY BANGLADESH'S PURCHASE OF TB2s

Bangladesh's deployment of Bayraktar TB2 UAVs at the border has alarmed India. It was noted that India has intensified its surveillance at the Bangladesh border against the TB2s, which are claimed to be deployed near West Bengal. An unnamed senior Indian intelligence officer stated, "The deployment of advanced UAVs near Indian borders requires more attention."

INDIA-BANGLADESH TENSION

Developments in Bangladesh, which has a predominantly Muslim population, hold significant importance in India. India and Bangladesh share one of the longest land borders in the world, approximately 4,100 kilometers long.

The strategic importance of Bangladesh is based on its location in the Bay of Bengal. This region is one of the most critical points of maritime trade routes extending from China to Europe. Turkey has close relations with both Pakistan and Bangladesh, which gained independence from Pakistan in 1971. India, on the other hand, clearly showed its stance by siding with Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh War between Azerbaijan and Armenia and selling weapons to Armenia since then. Additionally, India has demonstrated its position against Turkey by excluding the Turkish defense company TAIS from the Oiler and Logistics Support Ship project.

TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES PEAKED LAST YEAR

In July 2024, internal balances changed in Bangladesh, and this new situation began to manifest itself in international relations as well. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, known as the "Iron Lady" of the country who gained independence in 1971, fled to India following the protests that began in July. The Prime Minister's asylum in India led to a deterioration in bilateral relations. The event that ignited the protests was the Prime Minister's decision to open a job quota for the relatives of those who lost their lives in 1971. The protests initiated by the youth at Dhaka University against this discrimination have now turned into a rapprochement with Pakistan and a distancing from India.