‘True brothers': Pakistan-Azerbaijan bonhomie increases amid India's anguish

Pakistan on Thursday expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan’s resolute support to Islamabad during the recent flare-up with India.

The development comes at a time when India has expressed its anguish with Azerbaijan over its open support to Pakistan. The clamour has already started in India for taking steps to distance the country from Baku. India is likely to revisit trade relations with Azerbaijan, sources said.

India's exports to Azerbaijan stood at only $86.07 million during April-February 2024-25 as against $89.67 million in 2023-24, while imports remained at $1.93 million during April-February 2024-25 as against $0.74 million in 2023-24.

Taking to X, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, "Spoke to my dear brother President Ilham Aliyev this afternoon and conveyed my profound gratitude to him for Azerbaijan’s resolute support to Pakistan during the recent crisis in South Asia. The overwhelming support of the people and leadership of Azerbaijan has demonstrated to the world that Pakistan and Azerbaijan are true brothers."

He added, "We also discussed ways to deepen our bilateral partnership through enhanced Azerbaijani investment in Pakistan and reiterated my invitation to the President to visit Islamabad at his earliest convenience."