Azerbaijan has accused India of pursuing “revenge” against Baku in international platforms, alleging that the hostility stems from Azerbaijan’s close partnership with Pakistan.
The charge came after Baku claimed that New Delhi had blocked its attempt to secure full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Azerbaijani media outlets further claimed that India’s move went against the spirit of “multilateral diplomacy” and linked the obstruction to Azerbaijan’s backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, India’s military campaign against terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
Azerbaijan’s Pakistan Tilt
During a meeting in Tianjin with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev openly congratulated Islamabad, describing what he considered Pakistan’s victory over India during a recent military clash earlier this year.
He stated that despite India’s actions in multilateral forums, Azerbaijan would continue to uphold what he called the “brotherhood” with Pakistan, as reported by the Turkish daily Daily Sabah.
Aliyev emphasised that the bond between Azerbaijan and Pakistan is deeply entrenched in political, cultural, and strategic ties.
In his talks with Sharif, he also discussed broadening trade and economic cooperation through the Azerbaijani-Pakistani intergovernmental commission, according to the same report.
SCO Bid Foiled ‘Once Again’
Earlier, Azerbaijani television broadcaster AnewZ alleged that India had “once again” moved to block Baku’s SCO membership bid.
“India has once again obstructed Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent consideration of diplomatic ties with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku under Azerbaijan’s wider peace agenda,” the channel reported.
Azerbaijan has consistently voiced support for Pakistan during its confrontations with India. After Operation Sindoor, Baku issued a statement declaring, “The Republic of Azerbaijan expresses its concern regarding the further escalation of tensions between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
Over the past few years, Azerbaijan has also strengthened its defence collaboration, trade exchanges, and regional security engagement with Pakistan, underscoring the steady growth of the bilateral partnership.
(With inputs from IBNS)
