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India has described the deadly Nov. 10 car explosion in the heart of its capital as a “terrorist incident,” while Turkish authorities have strongly denied Indian media reports alleging a connection between the suspects and Türkiye.
The blast, which killed at least 12 people and wounded 30, occurred near a busy metro station close to the historic Red Fort in Old Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers the country's annual Independence Day speech. It is the deadliest attack in the Indian capital in more than a decade.
In a statement Wednesday, India’s Cabinet led by Modi condemned the attack as “heinous and cowardly,” vowing “zero tolerance toward terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.” The Cabinet directed authorities to identify and prosecute “the perpetrators, their collaborators, and their sponsors … without delay.”
Since the explosion, several Indian media outlets have speculated about foreign links to the incident. Reports in India Today and The Economic Times, citing police sources, alleged that members of the cell involved in the attack had connections to Türkiye. One of the suspects, Dr. Muzammil Shakil Ganaye, reportedly traveled to Türkiye in recent months.
Reports also claimed that the suicide bomber had visited Türkiye and planned the attack while there. India Today further alleged that a contact based in Ankara supported the operation.
The Economic Times asserted that the alleged Türkiye connection “indicates that India-focused terror operations have expanded beyond Pakistan.”
Türkiye on Wednesday rejected the allegations as part of what it called a “malicious disinformation campaign.”
“The deliberate reports in certain Indian media outlets claiming that Türkiye is linked to terrorist acts in India and provides logistical, diplomatic, and financial support to terrorist groups are part of a malicious disinformation campaign aimed at damaging bilateral relations between the two countries,” said Türkiye’s Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) in a statement posted on X.
Reaffirming its commitment to fighting terrorism “in all forms and by all actors,” the statement said Türkiye actively supports the U.N. Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and plays a central role in shaping NATO’s counterterrorism framework.
“The claim that Türkiye engages in radicalization activities targeting India or any other country is purely disinformative and lacks any factual basis,” the DMM said.
It called on the public “not to give credence to such unfounded and manipulative reports,” asserting that they aim to “undermine Türkiye’s efforts for global security, stability, and peace.”
Indian police have opened an investigation under counterterrorism law and are working to confirm the origin of the explosives, the identity of the bomber, and the possible involvement of international networks. Officials have so far released a few confirmed details.
The Nov. 10 bombing is India’s most serious security incident since April 22, when 26 civilians were killed in a blast in Indian-administered Kashmir, sparking renewed tensions with Pakistan.
In his public remarks, Prime Minister Modi described the latest incident as a “conspiracy” by anti-national forces and urged investigators to act with urgency.
As of Thursday, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
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