EAM Jaishankar Meets Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in Baku; Focus on Connectivity and North-South Corridors

Baku: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday called on Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, where the two leaders discussed ways to strengthen India-Azerbaijan bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on connectivity and transport links.

Jaishankar conveyed the greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Aliyev. In a post on X, the External Affairs Minister said, “Pleased to call on @presidentaz Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in Baku this morning. Conveyed the greetings of @rashtrapatibhvn and PM Modi. Discussed strengthening the relationship between our two countries. Appreciate his positive sentiments for this shared endeavour.”

The meeting formed part of Jaishankar’s official visit to Azerbaijan. Later the same day, he held talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. According to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the discussions covered the full spectrum of bilateral relations, including political dialogue, trade, investment, energy, transport, tourism, education, science and cultural cooperation.

Both sides highlighted the opportunities offered by Azerbaijan’s East–West and North–South transport corridors, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, the Port of Baku, the Alat Free Economic Zone and other industrial hubs. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and cooperation within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

Foreign Minister Bayramov briefed Jaishankar on developments in the South Caucasus, the Azerbaijan–Armenia normalisation process, confidence-building measures, reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories and the continuing landmine threat.

The visit builds on recent diplomatic engagements. Earlier this month, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh attended the seventh CICA summit in Baku, where he underlined India’s philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and called for collective action against cross-border terrorism. In September, Prime Minister Modi and President Aliyev had met on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek.

The talks in Baku reflect the ongoing efforts by both countries to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors, with connectivity projects emerging as a key area of mutual interest.

Also Read: EAM Jaishankar To Visit Azerbaijan On October 23 To Review Bilateral Ties; What To Expect