MANUU terminates MoU with Turkish institute citing Turkiye’s support for Pakistan

Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) canceled Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Turkish institute. The image is used for representative purposes only. Image credit: @officialmanuu via X

The Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad on Thursday (May 15, 2025) announced the immediate cancellation a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Turkish institute as a mark of protest against Turkiye’s support to Pakistan.

According to news reports, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh had said that Pakistan had used multiple drones, possibly of Turkish origin, for its intrusions from Leh to Sir Creek at several locations.

In a statement issued to the media, MANUU communicated its decision to effectively terminate a five-year academic collaboration with the Yunus Emre Institute (YEI) which was signed on January 2, 2024.

According to The YEI website, the Institute is affiliated to the Yunus Emre Foundation, and has been engaged in teaching Turkish at cultural centres established in other countries so as to promote that language and Turkish culture.

The MoU had facilitated the introduction of a diploma course in Turkish language at MANUU’s School of Languages, Linguistics and Indology. As part of the agreement, the services of a visiting professor from Turkey were availed to teach the course. The university also stated that the visiting professor has since returned to Turkey.

MANUU’s cancellation of the MoU marks yet another Indian university terminating or suspending agreements with Turkish organisations. In the recent past, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) suspended an agreement with Turkiye’s Inonu University. The agreement, signed in February this year, entailed faculty and student exchange programmes as well as other collaborations for three years. Similarly the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), citing national security concerns, suspended all collaborations with Turkish universities.