NEW DELHI, India – A recent report published by India.com has raised alarms over Turkey’s growing strategic ambitions in the Horn of Africa, particularly its plan to build a spaceport in Somalia. The development is being closely watched in India, where concerns are mounting over Ankara’s expanding influence in the Indian Ocean—especially given its close ties with Pakistan.
The backdrop to these concerns lies in Turkey’s recent show of solidarity with Islamabad during heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Ankara’s support sparked public criticism in India, a country that has, in the past, extended support to Turkey on various international fronts.
Now, Turkey’s sights appear to be set on the Indian Ocean, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly pursuing a plan to construct a launch facility in Somalia for space exploration and potential ballistic missile testing.
According to the report, Turkey is in active discussions with Somalia to establish a spaceport on the country’s eastern coast. The move is seen as part of Ankara’s broader strategy to expand its technological and defense footprint in the region.
Somalia’s geographical position—close to the equator and with direct access to the Indian Ocean—makes it an ideal location for such a facility. Equatorial launch sites offer a natural advantage by benefiting from the Earth’s rotational speed, reducing fuel requirements and enabling safer launch trajectories over uninhabited waters.
The proposed site is said to be in the Jamme Dume region. Turkey has outlined a $1 billion investment plan for the project, with a goal of achieving a soft landing mission by 2028. Approximately $350 million is expected to go toward construction and long-term maintenance. President Erdogan first unveiled the initiative in 2021 as part of Turkey’s broader push into space and advanced missile technologies.
While the project does not pose an immediate threat to India, strategic analysts in New Delhi are cautious. Turkey’s unwavering support for Pakistan, coupled with its rapid expansion of defense exports to India’s neighbors and several African nations, is viewed as a long-term strategic challenge.
The report notes that Pakistan could potentially collaborate with Turkey in future missile or space programs—raising the specter of direct security implications for India.
Furthermore, Somalia’s location places it near key Indian strategic interests, including the Andaman and Nicobar Command, the Maldives, and broader Indian naval operations in the region. A permanent Turkish space and defense facility in Somalia could significantly alter the balance of power in the western Indian Ocean.
The report also draws attention to a potentially troubling geopolitical alignment. With China already operating a military base in neighboring Djibouti, the establishment of a Turkish facility in Somalia could pave the way for a China-Pakistan-Turkey axis. This would pose what some in India are calling a “three-front threat”: China to the north, Pakistan to the west, and Turkey to the southwest, via its outpost in Somalia.
In conclusion, while Turkey’s spaceport plans are framed as scientific and technological advancements, Indian observers see deeper strategic calculations at play. The initiative reflects Ankara’s ambition to project power beyond its borders—and, from India’s perspective, it adds a new layer of complexity to an already fragile regional security environment.