*Gurol Baba, Professor, Social Sciences University of Ankara – Türkiye
ABSTRACT
Transregionalism is identified with loose and less-institutional interactions functioning via both state and non-state actors. Its lesser need for multilateral and ruled-based institutions makes transregionalism naturally flexible, multifaceted, and more bilateralism-oriented. Türkiye’s enthusiasm to deepen relations with Asia, which was officially encapsulated within the Asia Anew initiative (2019), is a good example of such multifaceted transregional bilateralism. The initiative prioritized this in-teraction scheme by stressing the importance of inter-agency mechanisms operating via state and non-state stakeholders. Accordingly, this study argues that Türkiye’s interactions with South Asia, especially regarding state/people- to-people relations, which merge state with non-state actors can be analyzed within the conceptual framework of transregional bilater-alism. Departing from this premise, this study argues that the geocultural affinities between the South Asian and Turkish communities per-form as the main “booster” of this framework.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of South Asia Strategic Research Center (GASAM)
Key words: Geoculture; transregional-ism; bilateralism; Türkiye; South Asia. ✍👇
Türkiye Transregionalism with South Asia Geoculture-boosted Multifaceted Bilateralism
