In the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, calls for a boycott of Azerbaijan have intensified across India.

This spearheaded by organisations such as the Confederation of Indian Traders (CAIT), is a direct response to Azerbaijan’s open and unconditional support for Pakistan, particularly in the context of Pakistan’s proxy war and terrorist activities targeting India in early May 2025.

By aligning itself with Islamabad, Baku has not only shown a lack of sympathy for the victims of terrorism but has also lent overt support to what many in India consider a rogue, terrorist state.

Azerbaijan’s stance is not new. It is the third country, after Pakistan and Turkey, to consistently raise the Kashmir issue on international platforms. In the past year alone, two high-profile visits by Azerbaijani leaders to Pakistan-President Ilham Aliyev in July and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in May-sparked significant debate in Indian policy circles.

Both leaders publicly supported Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, further cementing Baku’s alignment with Islamabad. This support has been reiterated in various forums, especially at meetings of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where Azerbaijan has been vocal about the Kashmir issue over the past six years.

The implications of this policy are significant, particularly given the robust economic ties between India and Azerbaijan. By 2023, India had become Azerbaijan’s seventh-largest trading partner, the third-largest destination for Azerbaijani crude oil, and the largest source of tourists for Azerbaijan.

Despite this, Azerbaijan’s recent actions threaten to undermine a billion-dollar bilateral trade relationship that has historically been in Baku’s favour. While India’s exports to Azerbaijan in FY2024-25 stood at $86.07 million-just 0.02% of India’s total exports-trade has already contracted to 16% of previous levels, reflecting the growing chill in relations.

The roots of Azerbaijan’s affinity for Pakistan are both historical and strategic. Pakistan was among the first nations to recognise Azerbaijan’s independence after the Soviet Union’s dissolution and quickly established diplomatic ties.

Their relationship has deepened in recent years, notably after Pakistan’s unequivocal support for Azerbaijan during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, which included political, moral, and, reportedly, material assistance. Azerbaijan credits both Turkey and Pakistan for its victory over Armenia, and the three countries have since fostered a “brotherhood” based on shared geopolitical and ideological interests.

This trilateral alliance-Turkey, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan-has been increasingly vocal in its opposition to India, particularly as India has strengthened its ties with Armenia. India’s support for Armenia during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, its growing diplomatic and defense partnership with Yerevan, and significant defense exports (including a $1.5 billion deal with Armenia) have further alienated Baku. Azerbaijan’s opposition to India is also linked to its inability to accept India’s abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Despite the political, diplomatic, and ideological closeness between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, the economic relationship between Baku and Islamabad is relatively modest-about one-fifth the size of India-Azerbaijan trade.

However, the strength of their political alliance has led Azerbaijan to interfere in matters that India considers its internal affairs, provoking strong reactions from New Delhi. The Indian government has reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an inalienable part of India and has demanded that Azerbaijan respect its sovereignty.

The fallout from Azerbaijan’s stance is already visible. Indian traders have begun boycotting Azerbaijani products, and there has been a noticeable decline in trade and tourism between the two countries. This economic backlash, if sustained, could have significant consequences for Azerbaijan, given its reliance on Indian trade and tourism.

Azerbaijan’s decision to openly back Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and its perceived support for terrorism has led to a sharp deterioration in its relationship with India. This shift not only threatens Baku’s economic interests but also risks isolating Azerbaijan diplomatically in South Asia.

As a responsible member of the international community, Azerbaijan is being urged to reconsider its alignment with Pakistan, respect India’s sovereignty, and refrain from interfering in India’s internal matters, especially given the heavy toll terrorism has taken on innocent lives in Kashmir.

Based On A FirstPost Report