India and Azerbaijan Explore Stronger Cooperation in Trade, Energy and Connectivity

India and Azerbaijan have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, with a focus on trade, investment, energy, tourism and transport connectivity, during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Baku.

Jaishankar held talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and met President Ilham Aliyev during the visit on Friday. The discussions were described as productive, with both sides exploring opportunities to expand cooperation and improve engagement between the two countries.

Economic cooperation was a key subject of the meetings. Jaishankar said there was considerable scope to increase bilateral trade and investment, given the complementary nature of the two economies.

Connectivity also featured prominently, particularly the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal freight network intended to connect India with Iran, the Caucasus, Russia, Central Asia and markets further into Europe.

Both countries agreed to coordinate more closely on the corridor. Improved transport links could support trade flows and provide additional options for moving goods between participating countries.

The discussions also covered cooperation in oil and energy, tourism and air connectivity. Jaishankar noted that direct flights already operate between the countries but said there was scope to consider how air links could be expanded further.

The two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments, including security challenges and conflicts affecting the wider region. They also discussed cooperation through multilateral organisations.

Jaishankar welcomed the August peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and reiterated India’s position that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also highlighted shared interests in promoting peace, prosperity and security.

The visit follows recent engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Aliyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. It forms part of efforts to maintain dialogue and explore a way forward in bilateral relations.

The meetings indicate an interest in expanding practical cooperation in economic and connectivity-related areas while continuing discussions on regional and international issues. Further progress will depend on follow-up engagement and the implementation of areas identified during the talks.