Why Azerbaijan is blaming India for not getting full SCO membership

All is not well between India and Azerbaijan. Allegations have surfaced that New Delhi “once again” blocked Baku’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) due to its relations with Pakistan.

India is yet to react to the reports in the Azerbaijani media. These claims coincide with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev reportedly accusing India of seeking “revenge” against Baku in global forums over its close ties with Pakistan.

Azerbaijan was among the few nations that had supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May, when India launched military strikes on terror hubs in its neighbouring country.

Let’s take a closer look.

Azerbaijan targets India

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev alleged on Monday (September 1) that India was pursuing “revenge” against the country over its ties with Islamabad.

These accusations were made during his talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, Anadolu Agency reported, citing the Azerbaijani presidency.

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Sharif expressed gratitude to Aliyev on behalf of the Pakistani people and government for Azerbaijan’s “solidarity” during the military conflict with India earlier this year.

President Ilham Aliyev held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Tianjin, China.https://t.co/aZ03tEh43O pic.twitter.com/rL0xZdmNYF

— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) September 1, 2025

The Pakistan PM also stressed the significance of the trilateral Azerbaijan -Turkey-Pakistan format, recalling his previous visits to Baku, as per the report.

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Aliyev congratulated Pakistan on what he claimed as its “victory” over India. He also asserted that despite India’s actions in global forums, Azerbaijan prioritises “brotherhood” in its ties with Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani TV broadcaster AnewZ claimed India impeded Baku’s efforts to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Officials in the know of the matter told the channel that India’s “decision to obstruct the process” was in contrast to the principles of multilateral diplomacy and the “Shanghai Spirit,” which deems that bilateral disputes should not be carried to multilateral platforms.

They claimed India’s stance is connected to Azerbaijan’s “fraternal relations” with Pakistan.

When Azerbaijan backed Pakistan

Azerbaijan and Turkey were the two countries, besides China, that supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May.

“The Republic of Azerbaijan expresses its concern over the further escalation of tension between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” Azerbaijan said at the time.

Decrying India’s military action, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement backing Islamabad. “Being in solidarity with the people of Pakistan, we express condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured. We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means,” it said.

Turkey had condemned India’s “unprovoked aggression violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and killing innocent civilians”. It said Operation Sindoor raised the “risk of an all-out war.” It was also found that Pakistan used Turkish-made Songar drones during the four-day conflict against India.

This had angered many Indians on social media, with calls to boycott Turkey and Azerbaijan gaining traction.

How India’s boycott hit Azerbaijan

Amid boycott calls, Indian travel tour operators cancelled offers and promotional packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan.  

EaseMyTrip issued an advisory, asking travellers to visit Turkey and Azerbaijan “only if absolutely necessary”.

Ixigo suspended all flight and hotel bookings to Turkey, China and Azerbaijan. Travomint reportedly suspended all travel packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

There were “mass cancellations” of travel bookings from India to Turkey and Azerbaijan following boycott calls.

MakeMyTrip reported a 60 per cent dip in bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan in just a week at the time, with cancellations increasing by 250 per cent, as per NDTV. 

India’s travel boycott hurt Azerbaijan as the South Asian country has emerged as the fourth-largest tourist source, after Russia, Turkiye, and Iran.

Travellers from India to Azerbaijan have seen a notable surge in recent years. The blend of tradition and modernity makes the country an appealing choice for Indians.

While just 4,853 Indians visited Azerbaijan in 2014, the number of tourists spiked to 243,589 in 2024.

In 2023, Indians accounted for less than six per cent (1.17 lakh) of all tourists in Azerbaijan. However, this rose to around 10 per cent in 2024.

Between January and April 2025, more than 80,000 Indian tourists visited Azerbaijan, comprising a substantial 11 per cent of its total tourist tally for the period, as per a BusinessLine report.

India’s travel boycott would have hurt Azerbaijan’s economy as an Indian spends between Rs 100,000 and Rs 130,000 per trip, according to the country’s Tourism Board.

With inputs from agencies