Religious Significance: The Sultan of Turkey was regarded as the Khalifa (spiritual leader) of the global Muslim community.

Treaty of Sevres: After WWI, the harsh terms imposed on Turkey and the perceived dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire sparked the Khilafat Movement in India.

Hindu-Muslim Unity: Gandhi saw the Khilafat issue as a "platform for uniting Hindus and Muslims" and merged it with the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.