Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said the India-Pakistan dispute on Jammu and Kashmir could be resolved through “multilateral talks” involving his country’s participation. “We should not allow more casualties to occur, and by strengthening multilateral dialogue – we can be involved – and through multilateral dialogue, I think we have to seek out ways to settle this question once and for all, which will benefit both countries,” he said in an interview to WION news channel, according to Hindustan Times.

He made the statement hours before arriving in New Delhi for a two-day visit. Besides his wife Emine Erdogan, the Turkish president is accompanied by his senior Cabinet ministers and a 150-member business delegation, which with participate in the India-Turkey Business Forum, PTI reported.

Both India and Pakistan have maintained that the Kashmir dispute was a bilateral subject and one that requires settling through bilateral talks alone. However, the Centre has indicated that it is aware of the close relations between Turkey and Pakistan, adding that India’s position that Kashmir is an “integral part of the country” was very well known.

Erdogan is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. The two leaders will discuss key bilateral and regional subjects, including India’s bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group and ways to boost cooperation in anti-terrorism operations and trade.

During his interview, he also said he was in favour of both India and Pakistan becoming members of the NSG, but that India should drop the “attitude” of not wanting to be compared with its neighbouring country, The Indian Express reported. New Delhi has maintained that Pakistan does not deserve NSG membership as is has history of nuclear proliferation.