China, Azerbaijan, Pakistan: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

On July 4th, the 17th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was held in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi. Along with the host, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, representatives included Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shabaz Sharif, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, presidents of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan—Emomali Rahmon, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Sadyr Japarov—President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar, and Kazakh Prime Minister Älihan Smaiylov. Ministers from the UAE, Turkmenistan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan also participated in the summit. The OIC meeting was held under the slogan "Continuous Regional Economic Cooperation: Turning Challenges into Opportunities."
This theme aptly characterizes the overall relationship between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. It is therefore no surprise that, among other things, the event became another page in strengthening ties between Azerbaijan and Pakistan.
The brotherly relations between the two countries have a solid foundation—long-standing friendship based on shared cultural, historical, and religious values. Over the years, the governments of Pakistan and Azerbaijan have consistently and principledly supported each other on the international stage within various organizations such as the UN, OIC, and others. The relationship between Baku and Islamabad is characterized as strategic partnership, rooted in mutual interests and cooperation in various fields, including military, justified by a shared interest in regional stability. It is important to remember that Pakistan is a nuclear-armed country with generally high indicators of military industry development, especially in aviation and defense technologies.
High-level dialogue between the states is ongoing. In July 2024, during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Pakistan, 15 memoranda of understanding were signed covering trade, tourism, defense, and cultural exchange. These agreements laid the groundwork for expanding trade relations, especially in areas such as science, technology, and mineral extraction. Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif participated in COP29 in Baku in 2024. On February 24, 2025, Shabaz Sharif visited Azerbaijan on an official visit. In May, there was a visit by the Pakistani Prime Minister to the Azerbaijani city of Lachin for a summit organized on the occasion of Azerbaijan’s Republic Day. The next visit took place just a month later, in July, during the OIC summit in Hankendi, where Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding providing for investments in Pakistan. It was noted that this document will give an impetus to the implementation of the leaders’ directives for further strengthening mutual economic relations and investment partnership. Finally, on July 7th, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, received a delegation led by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Meanwhile, considering the nature of bilateral relations and the international situation, it is interesting to examine the relationship between Azerbaijan and Pakistan from a regional perspective.
On one hand, we see the strengthening of Baku's role in the South Caucasus as an undisputed regional leader. As Ilham Aliyev noted in his welcoming speech at the OIC forum, “Azerbaijan ensures the energy security of many countries and exports natural gas to 12 states, making it one of the world’s leading exporters.” Transportation corridors such as East-West and North-South pass through Azerbaijan, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and the Middle and Zangezur corridors. The South Caucasus region, as well as Central Asia, combine resource and transit capabilities. For Pakistan, due to its lack of energy resources, this is particularly important. Islamabad is interested in expanding transport and transit routes, leveraging Azerbaijan’s geographical position at key crossroads. Moreover, Pakistan also seeks to diversify its options amid climate change. As Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shabaz Sharif stated at the OIC summit, his country is very vulnerable to such shocks. On the other hand, Pakistan provides Azerbaijan with access to important maritime routes.
From this perspective, Azerbaijan and Pakistan are at the center of Eurasian energy geopolitics. When considering this cooperation in the context of a connection with a global power—China—the factors are multiplied. Azerbaijan is developing relations with China across various spheres, and these relations are characterized as strategic partnership. Similarly, Pakistan and China have active cooperation in multiple areas (economic, military) and share common regional interests, including countering mutual rivals. Notably, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), launched in 2015 as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is also a crucial stage in the Maritime Silk Road project. CPEC has brought significant investments into Pakistan’s infrastructure, energy, and trade sectors, while providing China access to strategic ports. This project also plays an indirect role in regional transport integration, including links with neighboring countries like Azerbaijan within broader regional projects.
This already points to a broader vision of logistics and trade among Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe—such as the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan triangle.
Thus, Pakistan and Azerbaijan are important participants in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), giving their bilateral relationship additional strategic significance on the global stage. This cooperation is facilitated through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (or Middle Corridor), linking China with Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus. These routes are more than simple transit pathways—they constitute an intercontinental business corridor where logistic systems are becoming more flexible and extensive, trade is secure, and active investment attraction, digitalization, green technologies, and AI development are underway.
Undoubtedly, strengthening cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, within their close, friendly ties with China, will continue to foster economic growth, regional integration, and security across the broad region—from Beijing to Ankara.
Irina Khalturina

SR-CENTER.INFO