India and Azerbaijan Move to Resolve Diplomatic Differences

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Baku on October 23, 2026, to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. The visit, conducted on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed to elevate bilateral relations across political, trade, and high-tech sectors. The two nations agreed to intensify political contacts and organize reciprocal business and economic delegations.

The meetings served as a diplomatic reset following a period of strain in 2025, when Azerbaijan condemned India's strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov acknowledged that these differences of opinion had hindered cooperation, but stated that the current open discussions lay the groundwork for further development. To foster connectivity, the two countries are launching direct flights to increase business, tourism, and student exchanges.

Economic cooperation remains a central pillar, with ONGC Videsh maintaining over $1 billion in investments in Azerbaijani oil fields and pipelines. Bilateral trade reached $401 million in 2025. Beyond economics, the officials discussed regional stability and the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the lifting of restrictions on transporting goods. This visit follows a series of engagements, including a September meeting between Modi and Aliyev in Bishkek and the October 15 address by Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh at the CICA summit in Baku.