EAM Jaishankar Holds Talks with Azerbaijan Leadership to Deepen Bilateral Ties
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday held talks with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku to review bilateral ties, expand cooperation in trade,...
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday held talks with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku to review bilateral ties, expand cooperation in trade, investment and energy, and discuss key regional and global developments.
During his meeting with President Aliyev, EAM Jaishankar conveyed the greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the discussions covered the full range of bilateral relations, including ongoing cooperation and areas for further engagement, as well as regional and global issues.
India, Azerbaijan Seek to Expand Trade and Investment
During his meeting with Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, EAM Jaishankar said the two sides discussed ways to expand bilateral relations, particularly in trade, investment and energy.
Highlighting the complementary nature of the two economies, he said there was considerable scope to enhance bilateral trade and investment. He noted that Indian companies had been operating in Azerbaijan for several years, with investments in the oil and energy sector being particularly significant.
The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in the energy sector and explore opportunities in other areas. Jaishankar also referred to a recent major Indian investment in the Azerbaijani economy.
Connectivity and People-to-People Ties in Focus
EAM Jaishankar highlighted connectivity as an important component of bilateral relations, noting that both countries were invested in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). He said the two sides had agreed to coordinate more closely on the initiative.
He also underlined the importance of air connectivity, noting that daily flights were operating between the two countries and that there was scope to expand them further.
Acknowledging Azerbaijan’s support for Indian students studying in the country, Jaishankar thanked the Azerbaijani government for its assistance in evacuating Indian nationals, particularly students, from Iran during the conflict earlier this year.
He also urged Azerbaijan to resume and increase the participation of its professionals in India’s Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, which facilitates professional exchanges and capacity-building.
Bilateral Mechanisms and Regional Cooperation
EAM S Jaishankar said the Foreign Office Consultations held in April this year had helped provide a detailed roadmap for advancing bilateral relations. He expressed hope that other bilateral mechanisms would also meet soon to sustain engagement across various areas.
He highlighted India’s participation in regional and multilateral forums, noting that India’s Minister of State had recently visited Baku to attend the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). He said India highly valued Azerbaijan’s chairship of the organisation.
India Calls for Peace Through Dialogue and Diplomacy
Referring to regional developments, Jaishankar welcomed the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia reached in August last year and expressed hope that it would pave the way for durable peace.
He reiterated India’s position that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. The discussions also covered developments in the Middle East, West Asia, Europe and Eurasia, along with the wider global implications of ongoing conflicts.
The External Affairs Minister said these conflicts had created significant challenges for Global South economies, particularly in food, fuel, fertiliser and finance. He emphasised that India and Azerbaijan shared an interest in promoting peace, progress and prosperity, adding that terrorism, conflict and instability were common threats.
The two sides also exchanged views on reforming and expanding international and regional organisations to make them more contemporary and relevant.
Jaishankar Invites Azerbaijani Foreign Minister to India
Describing the discussions as productive, Jaishankar said the meetings had helped chart a way forward for bilateral relations.
He invited Foreign Minister Bayramov to visit India at his convenience and said the two sides had agreed to exchange trade delegations and delegations in other areas of cooperation.
Jaishankar also thanked the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister and government for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation.
He said the two countries’ longstanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges, along with mutual respect for each other’s cultures and values, provided a strong foundation for building a contemporary partnership.
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