Azerbaijan has accused India of blocking its bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation — insisting that New Delhi was seeking “revenge” against Baku on global forums. President Ilham Aliyev made the remarks during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the SCO Summit on Monday. He also hailed Islamabad for its “victory over India” and reiterated support for the other country.
According to a report by the Daily Sabah, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said his country continued to prioritise “brotherhood” in ties with Islamabad. Multiple Azerbaijani media outlets have also accused India of violating the principles of “multilateral diplomacy” by blocking the SCO membership bid. The move has been linked to the other country’s support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
‘Boycott Azerbaijan’ row
Azerbaijan has been a vocal and vehement supporter of Pakistan in recent months amid increasingly strained ties with India. Baku also condemned military strikes launched by New Delhi following the devastating Pahalgam attack — repeatedly expressing solidarity with Pakistan. A letter from the Azerbaijan government was also delivered to Sharif amid the four-day conflict and reiterated support and solidarity with Islamabad during this critical time.
The situation had left India outraged — with many launching a vehement ‘boycott’ of Azerbaijani goods and tourism. Leading Indian travel companies such as EaseMyTrip had suspended package tours to the country while others cancelled planned visits. The boycott also led to a significant decline in business dealings with several trader groups pausing transactions.
India blocks, China supports
Azerbaijani TV broadcaster AnewZ claimed on Monday that India had “once again” blocked the application for full membership. China had reportedly reaffirmed its support for the Azerbaijani application. The recently passed SCO Summit declaration also introduced a new consolidated ‘SCO Partner’ status — merging the previous ‘Observer’ and ‘Dialogue Partner’ categories. The veto from India effectively halts Azerbaijan’s hopes for full membership — leaving it under the new category. The country however maintains strong backing from China and other SCO members as it continues to deepen its role in regional cooperation.