New Delhi: India and Azerbaijan have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, energy and regional security as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with the country’s top leadership in Baku, signalling efforts to improve ties strained by Azerbaijan’s position during Operation Sindoor last year.
Jaishankar, who visited Azerbaijan on Friday, held discussions with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and President Ilham Aliyev to explore avenues for expanding bilateral engagement and address shared regional and international concerns.
Describing his meeting with Bayramov as “very productive”, Jaishankar said both sides saw considerable potential to enhance trade and investment, given the complementary nature of their economies.
The discussions also covered the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200-km multimodal transport network aimed at facilitating freight movement between India and destinations across Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
The two countries also agreed to deepen cooperation in the oil and energy sector and explore ways to improve air connectivity. Jaishankar noted that daily flights were already operating between the countries but said further efforts were needed to expand connectivity and strengthen bilateral engagement.
He thanked Azerbaijan for assisting Indian nationals, particularly students evacuated from Iran during the conflict earlier this year, and appreciated the care extended to Indian students living in Azerbaijan. He also proposed increasing the participation of Azerbaijani professionals in India’s Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme.
Regional security and geopolitical developments featured prominently in the discussions. Jaishankar welcomed the August peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and expressed hope that it would pave the way for lasting peace.
Reiterating India’s position on international disputes, he said conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. The discussions covered developments in the Middle East, Europe and Eurasia, including their wider economic implications for countries of the Global South.
Jaishankar said ongoing conflicts had created significant challenges for developing economies in areas such as food, fuel, fertilisers and finance. He stressed that India and Azerbaijan shared an interest in promoting peace, stability, prosperity and progress, identifying terrorism, conflict and instability as common threats.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the two sides also discussed terrorism, security concerns and shared challenges, agreeing on the need to work together to enhance peace, prosperity and security for their citizens.
During his meeting with Aliyev, Jaishankar conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He described his visit as a follow-up to the recent meeting between Modi and Aliyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek.
Jaishankar also invited Bayramov to visit India at a mutually convenient time, underlining New Delhi’s interest in sustaining diplomatic engagement and expanding cooperation with Baku.
