Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Baku marked a significant moment in the ongoing diplomatic engagement between India and Azerbaijan. On October 23, Jaishankar met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation across various sectors.
During their discussions, Jaishankar conveyed greetings from Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing gratitude for President Aliyev’s positive stance on deepening ties between the two nations. This meeting formed part of Jaishankar’s official visit to Azerbaijan, which included talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart to review and explore opportunities for closer collaboration.
The visit is part of a series of diplomatic interactions aimed at bolstering the partnership between India and Azerbaijan. Just over a week prior, on October 16, India’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Abhay Kumar, presented his credentials to President Aliyev, emphasizing New Delhi’s commitment to expanding bilateral relations.
Earlier in October, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, attended the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. At the summit, Singh underscored India’s dedication to peace, cooperation, and regional stability while advocating for collective action against cross-border terrorism.
Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Aliyev had met on September 1 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. These consecutive engagements reflect the ongoing efforts by both countries to explore and solidify their partnership on shared interests.