Political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu says New Delhi’s push to deepen ties with Azerbaijan is driven by oil-and-gas interests and transport corridor plans, following Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit to Baku.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Baku on October 23. Political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu said the meeting continued talks the two countries’ leaders had held in Bishkek, with Jaishankar traveling to Baku on the instructions of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to the analyst, the two sides discussed not only the political and economic agenda but also potential cooperation in high technology, cultural exchange and people-to-people contacts. They also agreed to keep expanding mutual diplomatic visits and political contacts at various levels.
A revival in energy ties
Shahinoglu said Indian companies’ interest in investing in Azerbaijan’s oil-and-gas sector is no coincidence. He recalled that India was once among the main importers of Azerbaijani oil, with bilateral trade turnover reaching close to $1 billion. The analyst said New Delhi’s search for alternative energy sources to strengthen its energy security could raise Azerbaijan’s strategic importance for India.
Transit corridor ambitions
The analyst noted that India’s interest extends beyond energy resources. New Delhi is also focused on delivering Central Asian oil to world markets via Azerbaijani territory and on international transit routes more broadly. He said the North-South Transport Corridor, in which Azerbaijan participates, is one of the key routes for India.
Shahinoglu also pointed to India’s plans around Iran’s Chabahar port. Although an agreement on managing the port was signed in 2024, regional tensions have slowed its implementation. Still, he said, India has not abandoned the Chabahar project and intends to use the port to gain access to markets in Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Russia. This, he added, is why Azerbaijan’s transport and logistics capacity holds particular value for New Delhi.
