Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku on 23 October, in the first visit to Azerbaijan by an Indian foreign minister in eight years. The meetings expanding economic cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, transport connectivity and security ties following a period of strained relations between the two countries. Jaishankar described his talks with Bayramov as “very productive”, saying they had helped establish a “pathway forward” for bilateral engagement. Bayramov emphasized the differences that had affected India-Azerbaijan relations, stating: “It is not secret that during the several years, we had different viewpoints on the different issues.” Bayramov nevertheless the discussions as “very long and positive and fruitful”.

The visit followed a meeting between Aliyev and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek on 1 September. Relations had deteriorated after Azerbaijan expressed solidarity with Pakistan and condemned India’s military strikes during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. India’s defence cooperation with Armenia has further complicated New Delhi’s relations with Baku. Neither Jaishankar nor Bayramov publicly mentioned Pakistan during their joint press appearance, although Jaishankar that the two countries were “independent-minded nations who make their own call on the important issues of the day”.

Economic cooperation was a central focus. Jaishankar maintained that Indian companies had operated in Azerbaijan for years, particularly in the oil and energy sector, and that both sides had agreed to deepen investment in these areas and explore additional sectors. According to Jaishankar, there was “very good scope for further enhancement of our bilateral trade and investment”. Bayramov identified pharmaceuticals, agriculture, information technology, digital services, manufacturing and energy as areas with potential for expansion. Bayramov also pointed out that bilateral trade turnover had reached approximately $600 million in 2026. The ministers agreed to improve coordination on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects India with Iran and routes extending towards Russia and Europe. Jaishankar raised the possibility of increasing direct flights between the countries and proposed restoring and expanding Azerbaijan’s participation in India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation programme, which supports professional exchanges and training. He invited Bayramov to visit India and thanked Azerbaijan for helping evacuate Indian nationals, particularly students, from Iran during the regional conflict earlier in 2026.

Security and regional developments were also discussed. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the talks covered “security issues, terrorism and the common threats that we face”. Jaiswal underlined that both countries had agreed to boost multilateral cooperation within international organisations to improve the peace, prosperity and security of their populations. The spokesperson also welcomed the peace agreement initialled by Armenia and Azerbaijan in August 2025, saying India hoped it would produce lasting peace and reiterated that disputes should be resolved through “dialogue and diplomacy”. Asked whether India would support Azerbaijan’s bid for full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Jaiswal declined to commit to a position, stressing that the matter would have to be considered within the organisation.