President Abdullah Gul made an official visit to Mumbai in February 2010 to inaugurate the new Turkish Consulate. He had a private meeting with Strategic Foresight Group's President and Executive Director. The discussion covered a wide range of issues including water security in the Middle East, potential role of Turkey in addressing water security problems and building sustainable peace in the region. The discussion also covered some aspects of best practices in the process of governance in Turkey which could be relevant to India and other emerging economies.

Strategic Foresight Group has had a long relationship with the leaders of Turkey. Last year, President Abdullah Gul had invited President of SFG for a state dinner at Dolmabache Palace in Istanbul, hosted on the occasion of the meeting of the Alliance of Civilisations. Earlier, when he was Foreign Minister he had held consulations with the President and Executive Director of SFG, on a wide range of global issues. 

SFG has met with Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan for private discussions on several occasions in the last few years. Leading Turkish parliamentarians, led by Mr Yasar Yakis, former Foreign Minister have participated in several of SFGs round tables and seminars, including the recent workshop on Water Security in the Middle East in Montreux, Switzerland. 

The meeting with President Abdullah Gul was in a series of meetings SFG is holding with senior leaders from the Middle East on the issue of water security. Earlier meetings included senior leaders of Syria and Jordan during SFG visits to Damascus and Amman in December 2009.