Long-time ally Pakistan, Azerbaijan may be angling for a closer relationship with India, a report says, based on recent events.
Under a move that can be interpreted as a confidence-building step between the two nations, Azerbaijan is planning to operate direct flights between its capital city Baku and Ahmedabad from July, indicating increasing interest in linking with Indian metros.
This new destination will be Azerbaijan Airlines’ third in India following Delhi and Mumbai. The airline has confirmed that flights will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays from July 4, the report added.
The flights between Baku and Mumbai will become regular from June 16, with operations on the same days.
Surge in Indian Tourist Arrivals to Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has witnessed a spurt in Indian tourists, with Indian tourist arrivals reaching all-time highs in recent years, The Economic Times reported.
Following the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Azerbaijan sent a condolence message to India a move important considering Azerbaijan’s traditionally close relationship with Pakistan.
Silence on Kashmir During Pakistani PM’s Baku Visit
In another significant diplomatic turn, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev avoided any mention of the Kashmir dispute during a press conference last month when he welcomed Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Baku.
Previously, during such events or his trips to Islamabad, Aliyev had spoken publicly about Kashmir, which was interpreted as a show of solidarity with Pakistan, considering the Azerbaijan-Pakistan security alliance.
Yet, while Aliyev talked over a number of aspects of the two-country relationship, such as defense and economic relations, his recent remark specifically left out any reference to Kashmir.
Some interpret this omission as a delicate diplomatic move, indicating Azerbaijan’s growing desire to enhance its ties with India, the report said.
Bilateral Trade Between India and Azerbaijan Rising Rapidly
Two-country commerce between India and Azerbaijan has increased appreciably over the last few years.
From approximately $18 million in 2000, the trade had risen to over $739 million by 2021 and again spiked to $1.8 billion in 2022, an increase of 156.4%.
Key Indian Exports and Strategic Investments
Indian exports to Azerbaijan, including rice, smartphones, aluminium oxides, drugs, and granite, have also experienced strong growth. Indian exports were $220 million in 2022, as opposed to $45 million in 2011.
Rice is the leading export, making up 80.8% of Azerbaijan’s overall rice imports.
India’s investment in Azerbaijan too has increased. ONGC Videsh has picked up a 2.72% stake in the Azeri, Chirag, and the deep-water sectors of the Gunashli (ACG) fields in the Caspian Sea in 2013 with an investment of over $1.2 billion so far.
As their bilateral trade, tourism, and strategic alliance continue to increase, it seems the relations between India and Azerbaijan are gaining strength in spite of their complicated respective alignments.
