Azerbaijan sees ties with India moving to 'higher levels'
Baku, Oct 23
Describing External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit to Baku as "a very valuable meeting", Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on Friday expressed confidence that country's relations with India were on the path to "higher levels" with growing opportunities in energy, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and transport corridors.
Speaking after meeting EAM Jaishankar in Baku, Bayramov described the discussions as long, positive and fruitful that covered a number of bilateral, regional and global issues.
Bayramov said the visit was a logical continuation of the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek last month.
Highlighting economic ties, the Azerbaijani minister said bilateral trade stood at around $600 million this year, which did not reflect the full potential of the two countries. The minister noted that India's ONGC had increased its participating interest in a major oil and gas project in Azerbaijan, and that more than 1,000 Indian companies were operating in the country.
Bayramov identified energy, agriculture and pharmaceuticals as promising areas of cooperation, along with transport corridors linking east-west and north-south routes, given Azerbaijan's geographical position.
On people-to-people ties, Bayramov said there were currently two direct flights between Baku and Delhi, about 500 Indian students had joined Azerbaijani universities this year, and more than 30 Indian films had been shot in Azerbaijan in recent years.
The two ministers also discussed the situation in the South Caucasus, including the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, tensions in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war, Bayramov said.
"We believe that this visit and the discussions that we have had on the various issues will have a good impact on the development of the bilateral relationships between our two nations," Bayramov said, according to an English interpretation of the remarks.
Earlier on Friday, EAM Jaishankar called on Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, with discussions held on strengthening ties between the two nations.
"Pleased to call on Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in Baku this morning. Conveyed the greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi. Discussed strengthening the relationship between our two countries. Appreciate his positive sentiments for this shared endeavour," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
— IANS
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