Jaishankar in Baku: India, Azerbaijan discuss transport corridors, energy and flights

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku on Friday, October 23, 2026, during a day-long visit, and also called on President Ilham Aliyev. According to both governments' accounts, the talks covered transport corridors linking Asia and Europe, cooperation in oil and energy, more direct flights between the two countries, and developments in the South Caucasus, West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war. Jaishankar described the talks as "very productive". No signed agreements were announced.

Azerbaijan sits at a crossroads. To its north is Russia, to its south Iran, to its west Georgia and Turkey, and to its east the Caspian Sea, across which lie Central Asia and China. That makes it a key stop on several trade routes India cares about.

The most important for India is the International North–South Transport Corridor, a route that links Indian ports such as Mumbai with Iran, then runs north through the Caspian region to Russia and Europe. One branch passes through Azerbaijan. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted by the conflict in West Asia this year, land and rail alternatives have gained importance for Indian traders. Talking about the Port of Baku, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway to Turkey and a free economic zone at Alat signals that India is looking at Azerbaijan as a transit and logistics partner, not only as a source of oil.

Energy is the other strand. Azerbaijan is an oil and gas producer, and India, which imports most of its crude, has been trying to spread its purchases across more suppliers. Jaishankar's statement that both sides want to deepen energy cooperation and extend it to other sectors fits that aim.

The South Caucasus discussion also matters. Azerbaijan and Armenia are working through a normalisation process after decades of conflict. India also has relations with Armenia, so a direct briefing from Baku on how it sees the peace process gives New Delhi a fuller picture of a region where it has interests on both sides.

Short-term: The visit opens the way for officials to work on specific steps, such as more flights and possible energy deals. Any concrete outcome would likely come through follow-up meetings rather than this one-day trip.

Long-term: If India uses Azerbaijan's ports, railways and free zone as part of the North-South route, Indian exporters could gain a faster and cheaper path to Russia, the Caucasus and parts of Europe. Closer ties would also give India another partner in the SCO and CICA, regional groups where Azerbaijan is active.

Who is affected: Indian exporters and logistics firms looking for routes to Europe and Russia; Indian energy companies seeking new suppliers; travellers and tourists, if more flights are added; and Indian diplomacy in a region where Russia, Turkey and Iran all compete for influence.

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