Baku [Azerbaijan], Apr 03 (ANI): Secretary (West) Sibi George calls on Azerbaijan Overseas Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on the sidelines of sixth spherical of India-Azerbaijan Overseas Workplace Consultations, in Baku on Friday. (@MEAIndia X/ANI Photograph)
| Photograph Credit score: ANI
After a yr of tensions between India and Azerbaijan over Operation Sindoor, the governments determined to reset ties as senior officers met in Baku for the sixth spherical of Overseas Workplace consultations. The talks, held between Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Overseas Minister Elnur Mammadov on Friday are the primary such talks since 2022, and after deep variations over Azerbaijan-Pakistan and India-Armenia relations.
In a press release, the MEA mentioned the 2 sides “comprehensively reviewed” the state of bilateral relations. “The problems mentioned included commerce, know-how, tourism, prescribed drugs, power, tradition, people-to-people exchanges and combat in opposition to cross-border terrorism,” it added.
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Azerbaijan has just lately resumed crude oil exports to India, which make up 98% of Azerbaijan’s exports to India, whereas ONGC Videsh maintains a stake in oil and gasoline fields and an power pipeline within the nation.
The reference to cross-border terrorism within the assertion is critical as final yr, New Delhi had been angered by Azerbaijan’s protest of India’s strikes on Pakistani websites throughout Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam terror assaults, and signifies that the 2 international locations have smoothed over a few of their variations since then. In a press release on Might 7 final yr, the Azerbaijan Overseas Ministry has “condemned navy assaults in opposition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that killed and injured a number of civilians,” and referred to as on all events to “train restraint and to resolve the battle by means of diplomatic means.” Azerbaijan and Pakistan have a detailed strategic partnership, notably given Islamabad’s assist to Azerbaijan in opposition to Armenia within the dispute over Nagorno Karabakh, whereas Azerbaijan’s authorities accused New Delhi of arming Armenia within the battle.
In September, throughout a gathering with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev had additionally accused India of blocking Azerbaijan’s ascension to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation membership.
Brotherly relations
“India has tried to retaliate in opposition to Azerbaijan in worldwide organisations, however careworn that this holds no significance for Azerbaijan, as brotherly relations take priority above all,” a press release from his workplace on September 1, 2025 mentioned.
Nevertheless, each side have improved ties within the current previous, particularly after conferences between the newly appointed Indian Ambassador to Baku, Abhay Kumar, and authorities officers, and Azerbaijan’s facilitation of greater than 200 Indians fleeing U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.
“Now we have our ambassador there, he just lately offered credentials. Through the presentation of his credentials, he additionally mentioned a number of problems with bilateral nature,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned at a briefing, side-stepping a query about tensions over Operation Sindoor.
“We’re grateful to the federal government of Azerbaijan for the assist that they’ve rendered for the exit of Indian nationals from Iran by means of the land border,” the official spokesperson mentioned. In June 2025, Indians fleeing U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran’s nuclear services had been particularly informed to not strategy Iran’s land borders with both Turkiye or Azerbaijan as a result of rift with them over assist to Pakistan, and solely journey by means of Armenia and Turkmenistan.
Sources mentioned that in talks on Friday, the 2 sides had agreed to “resolve variations by means of open dialogue and dialogue”. Mr. George additionally referred to as on the Overseas Coverage Adviser to President Aliyev and Overseas Minister Jeyhun Bayramov of the Republic of Azerbaijan the place they “reviewed the bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and world issues of frequent curiosity”, and agreed to carry the subsequent spherical of talks in Delhi, in accordance with the MEA assertion.
Printed – April 03, 2026 10:28 pm IST
