Baku: Azerbaijan is in the spotlight after accusing India of blocking its attempt to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Officials and media in Baku say the move is retaliation for Azerbaijan openly supporting Pakistan in its military conflict with India in May. Far from a neutral actor, Baku has long cultivated close ties with Islamabad and condemned India’s Operation Sindoor. Now, economic and diplomatic consequences are following fast.
During a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on what he called Pakistan’s “victory” over India. He emphasised that despite India’s actions in international forums, Azerbaijan will continue prioritising its “brotherhood” with Pakistan.
He highlighted political, cultural and strategic ties and discussed expanding trade and economic cooperation through the Azerbaijani-Pakistani intergovernmental commission, according to Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah.
Sharif expressed gratitude to Aliyev on behalf of Pakistan, praising Azerbaijan’s “solidarity” during the conflict. He also underlined the importance of the trilateral Azerbaijan-Turkey-Pakistan format, recalling his previous visits to Baku.
During Operation Sindoor, Azerbaijan, Turkey and China sided with Pakistan. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned India’s military action, offering condolences to Pakistani civilians affected by the conflict and urging diplomatic resolution.
Turkey similarly denounced India’s “unprovoked aggression” and warned that the operation could escalate into full-scale war. Pakistan’s use of Turkish-made Songar drones during the four-day operation added to regional tensions.
This public support for Pakistan sparked outrage in India. Social media calls to boycott Azerbaijan and Turkey quickly translated into action. Indian travel operators cancelled packages and advisories warned tourists to visit “only if absolutely necessary”. EaseMyTrip, Ixigo and Travomint suspended bookings, while MakeMyTrip reported a 60% drop in trips and a 250% rise in cancellations to Azerbaijan and Turkey within a week, as per NDTV.
The impact is tangible. India has emerged as one of Azerbaijan’s largest tourist sources, after Russia, Turkey and Iran. Tourist arrivals surged from 4,853 Indians in 2014 to 243,589 in 2024. Between January and April 2025, over 80,000 Indian tourists visited Azerbaijan, accounting for roughly 11% of all arrivals. With each visitor spending Rs 100,000-130,000, the boycott has dealt a significant economic blow just as Azerbaijan relied on Indian tourism.
Azerbaijani media now claims India’s SCO obstruction violates multilateral diplomacy, invoking the “Shanghai Spirit” principle that bilateral disputes should not spill into global forums. Officials argue the SCO snub is tied to Baku’s close ties with Pakistan. But the economic fallout and tourism decline illustrate the cost of choosing “brotherhood” over balanced diplomacy.
Baku’s alignment with Islamabad shows that international loyalties have a price. In this case, standing with a “brother” country may have closed doors in one forum while hitting wallets in another.