The 75th Republic Day of India celebrations were hosted in Ankara just a couple of days ago and the overwhelming warmth of the congratulatory messages received from our Turkish friends, representing diverse walks of life and professions, yet again showed that ties between India and Türkiye are not merely a product of recent times.
It is a deep and enduring historical connection that offers our two richly diverse democracies enormous opportunities for developing even more comprehensive bilateral ties through deeper mutual understanding aimed at mutual benefit. Such possibilities are inherent in our growth and development trajectories.
As we enter the next year of India as a republic and pause for a moment to look back, it is amazing to see how India has emerged as a vibrant and successful democracy, embracing diverse cultures and languages while maintaining its inherent unity. As a large multicultural democracy of over 1.4 billion people, India is proudly among the fastest-growing large economies in the world today. In parallel, India has also emerged as a widely respected and responsible member of the international community with strong credentials as a reliable partner.
The large-scale G-20 process held under India's presidency last year was an unprecedented success. The world community has recognized it. The theme of "One Earth, one family and one future" we chose was aimed at promoting a universal sense of oneness for global progress. India held that responsibility at a time when the G-20 agenda was steadily getting more and more extensive, with issues of far-reaching implications on a global scale. And the world was looking at the G-20 with hope. Mindful of that, India also paid much attention to the needs and aspirations of the Global South and our G-20 priorities were, to a very large extent, shaped by the interests of the Global South.
We deeply appreciate the constructive participation of Türkiye, as a fellow G-20 country, in a large number of events in India as part of the G-20 process. Participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the G-20 summit held in New Delhi was indeed the main highlight in that regard. We also view that visit as an important step forward in the bilateral India-Türkiye context.
Our cultural resources have, over the centuries, helped nurture strong bonds of mutual goodwill at the people-to-people level. This was indeed much visible in the manner our Turkish friends received "Operation Dost," India's expression of solidarity with the people of Türkiye during the very early days of the devastating earthquakes in southern Türkiye in February last year.
Let me also recall with gratitude the assistance provided by Türkiye to India at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in India in 2021. Türkiye had sent us a plane load of medical supplies. The boxes containing the material carried the beautifully uplifting words of Sufi philosopher Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi: "There is hope after despair and many suns after darkness." We remember that gesture as a symbol of goodwill and support for India during the challenging pandemic period.
This is also a special period in Türkiye's history as it celebrates the centenary of the Turkish republic. We extend our warm felicitations and good wishes to all our Turkish friends. These 100 years of the Turkish republic have been a journey of wide-ranging remarkable achievements, making the Turkish people proud.
We sincerely look forward to jointly realizing our full potential as strong partners in the times ahead. Our recent successful work together during India's G-20 presidency has also shown us the way into the future.
