Baku:Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov recently met with India’s Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to discuss strengthening ties between the two nations. The meeting, which initially began in a one-on-one format, expanded to include both delegations and focused on the current state and future prospects of Azerbaijan-India relations, including regional and international issues.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Bayramov underscored the significance of developing bilateral relations grounded in mutual respect, sovereignty, and equality among states. Both sides acknowledged the value of high-level contacts and political consultations between their foreign ministries in advancing dialogue. The meeting also highlighted the significance of a prior encounter between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek.
The discussions centered on expanding economic and trade cooperation, increasing trade turnover, and promoting mutual investment. Opportunities for collaboration in sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and information technology were also emphasized. Azerbaijan’s strategic location along the East-West and North-South corridors, coupled with its transport and logistics potential and infrastructure opportunities, were discussed, particularly in relation to enhancing tourism through direct flights.
Additionally, the parties stressed the importance of cultural and humanitarian ties in strengthening mutual understanding between their peoples, with cooperation in tourism, education, and science identified as key areas. The dialogue also covered cooperation within multilateral platforms such as the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The Indian minister received updates on the South Caucasus developments, including the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process and ongoing restoration efforts in liberated territories. Finally, the ministers exchanged views on various bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest, culminating in a joint press conference.