Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan set to strengthen anti-India nexus

• ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI — The growing nexus between Islamabad-Ankara-Baku is expected to deepen and broaden further during the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Azerbaijan after concluding his ongoing visit to Iran.
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• According to reports, a trilateral summit of Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan is expected to be held in Lachin, a strategic city that connects Azerbaijan to Armenia, in the next 48 hours to take "important decisions on joint strategies" in several fields, including defence.
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• "This high-level trilateral meeting between the heads of state/government of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan will be held in the city of Lachin, Azerbaijan, which is known for its natural beauty and strategic importance. The meeting is being held to consider the regional situation arising after the recent conflict between Pakistan and India, explore opportunities for mutual cooperation, and formulate a strategy for a common future," Pakistani media reported on Tuesday.

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• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be paying a visit to Azerbaijan on Wednesday, the Turkish media also confirmed on Tuesday.
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• Sharif arrived in Tehran on Monday after wrapping up his visit to Istanbul. From Azerbaijan, he is scheduled to travel to Tajikistan, the last leg of his hastily-planned four-nation tour after India's decisive Operation Sindoor that demolished terror camps and infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), earlier this month.
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• Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar are also part of the touring party.
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• On Sunday, the Pakistan PM met Erdogan for the second time in a month. Erdogan had earlier hosted Pakistan's Prime Minister in Ankara on April 22, the day a barbaric terror attack took place in Pahalgam, resulting in the death of 26 innocent civilians. Erdogan had also paid a State Visit to Pakistan in February 2025. The Turkish President had also paid a State Visit to Pakistan in February 2025.
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• Both Turkey and Azerbaijan have openly expressed solidarity with Pakistan and backed Islamabad in its military standoff with India, this month.
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• Pakistan had targetted Indian civilian, military and religious sites by using Turkey's indigenously-developed armed drone system Asisguard Songar drones that were neutralised by India's strong air defences.
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• Analysts reckon that Pakistan, cornered and left with just a handful of 'all-weather friends', is working hard to build an anti-India stand while Turkey under Erdogan tries to position itself as a Muslim world leader.
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• Interestingly, Sharif had visited Baku in February this year on a two-day official visit.
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• An advance party led by Tariq Bajwa, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, is already camped in Baku ahead of Sharif's visit and holding meetings with representatives of the Azerbaijani government.
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• On Monday, Sharif sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of Independence Day (May 28), appreciating his "steadfast support" to Pakistan "during the recent crisis with India".
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• "Excellency, we are also grateful to our Azerbaijani brethren for their unwavering solidarity with Pakistan. Indeed, as true brothers, our hearts always beat in unison, especially as our destinies are intertwined. I greatly look forward to my visit to your beautiful country in the coming days," the Pakistani Prime Minister wrote.