Hyderabad— The Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) has officially terminated its academic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Yunus Emre Institute, Turkey, citing Ankara’s alleged support for Pakistan amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions. The announcement was made by Dr. Mohd. Mustafa Ali, Public Relations Officer at MANUU.
The MoU, originally signed on January 2, 2024, was set to last five years and had initiated a diploma programme in the Turkish language at the School of Languages, Linguistics & Indology. Under the agreement, a visiting professor from Turkey had been appointed, who has since returned to his home country.
The decision to cancel the MoU reflects growing national sentiment against Turkish involvement in regional security issues, especially in light of recent allegations linking Turkey to Pakistan-supported activities.
This move aligns MANUU with other leading Indian universities taking similar actions. Jamia Millia Islamia recently suspended all MoUs with Turkish academic institutions. Professor Saima Saeed, Public Relations Officer of Jamia, stated, “Jamia stands with the nation and the Government of India,” affirming their decision to halt all academic ties with Turkey.
Earlier this week, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) also suspended its MoU with Inonu University in Malatya, Turkey. JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit emphasised national security concerns as the driving force behind the suspension. “Turkey has openly backed Pakistan, and that cannot be ignored,” she said. The MoU between JNU and Inonu University, signed in February 2025, was originally scheduled to run until 2028.
The backdrop to these academic withdrawals includes the recent Pahalgam terror attack and reports of large-scale drone intrusions across Indian territory on May 8. Defence officials confirmed that many of the 300 to 400 drones used in the intrusion attempts were of Turkish origin. Forensic analysis of the debris indicated the presence of Turkish-made drones, including the ‘Asisguard Songar’ and models named ‘Yiha’ or ‘YEEHAW’.
The series of MoU cancellations reflect a broader shift in India’s academic and diplomatic landscape as institutions respond to national security concerns and public sentiment regarding international alignments.
