External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Azerbaijan to restore bilateral relations after differences over Operation Sindoor. The two sides identified opportunities to expand trade and energy cooperation and agreed to coordinate more closely on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
India also proposed increasing the participation of Azerbaijani professionals in the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. Discussions on energy focused on strengthening cooperation in the oil and energy sectors and exploring other areas of economic partnership.
After India's military operation, Azerbaijan, along with Turkey, expressed support for Pakistan, citing the "Three Brothers" bloc alliance. Azerbaijan has also consistently advocated that the Jammu and Kashmir conflict be resolved according to international law and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.
Baku's closeness to Islamabad has a regional side. Pakistan supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while India has deepened its ties with Armenia, notably in defence cooperation. Azerbaijan has accused India of supporting Armenia militarily.
India recognised Azerbaijan as an independent country in December 1991, soon after it declared independence from the Soviet Union, and diplomatic relations were formally established in February 1992.
Bilateral trade grew from around US$ 50 million in 2005 to a peak of US$ 1.882 billion in 2022. It then fell to US$ 401 million in 2025, mainly because India reduced its crude oil imports. India exports pharmaceuticals, rice, machinery, electronics and construction materials to Azerbaijan.
ONGC Videsh has investments in oil and gas fields and pipeline projects in the country, including stakes in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil field and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. These help India diversify its energy sources and deepen its engagement in the Caspian region.
Azerbaijan also facilitated the evacuation of more than 200 Indian nationals during the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran. Nearly 1,000 Indians live in the country, working in a range of professions. The 18th-century Ateshgah fire temple in Baku, with inscriptions in Devanagiri and Gurmukhi, reflects older trade links.
Azerbaijan sits at the crossroads of Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the Caspian region. It is important to the INSTC, which gives India an alternative route to Russia, Central Asia and the European market. It is also a major energy producer in the Caspian region and could broaden India's energy partnerships.
Several problems remain. Disagreement over Kashmir continues to be a major source of contention, and Azerbaijan's close strategic relationship with Pakistan makes trust-building harder.
With reference to India-Azerbaijan relations, consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Azerbaijan's relations with India were strained after Operation Sindoor.
Statement-II: After the operation, Azerbaijan, along with Turkey, expressed support for Pakistan, citing the "Three Brothers" bloc alliance.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Identify the country on the basis of the following information:
