Baku/Yerevan: Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday and during this he thanked him for Pakistan's help against India. When India launched Operation Sindoor against terrorism, Azerbaijan was the only country after Turkey and China, which openly supported Pakistan. In such a situation, Shahbaz Sharif has reached Baku to thank Azerbaijan. But amidst all this, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia reached Delhi very secretly last week. Where he met India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. During this, he talked about Operation Sindoor. But his concern about the Jangezur corridor was hidden in his visit. Jangezur corridor is the vein, by pressing which India can hurt Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan simultaneously.
Pakistan and Turkey openly help Azerbaijan against Armenia. While India stands with Armenia. On the other hand, during the tension between India and Pakistan, if any country tried to bring peace, it was Iran after Saudi. Iran's Foreign Minister also reached Delhi during Operation Sindoor. Therefore, experts say that to counter this group of Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan, trilateral cooperation is needed between New Delhi, Tehran and Yerevan. If India openly supports Armenia on the Jangezur corridor, then Azerbaijan will not be able to have direct access to Europe.
What is the Jangezur Corridor dispute?
The Zangezur Corridor is a proposed transport link connecting Azerbaijan to its isolated part Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Azerbaijan wants the Zangezur Corridor at all costs. This corridor will pass through Armenia's Syunik province, which is also a major area connecting Armenia to Iran. If this corridor is built, a direct land link will be established between Turkey and Azerbaijan. This is not possible as of today. But if it is built, it will be in accordance with the Islamic Caliphate regime of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has been living this dream for decades. After losing to Azerbaijan in the 2020 war, Armenia had to give Azerbaijan a route to Nakhichevan with the mediation of Russia. Azerbaijan claims Nakhichevan, but Armenia controls it. After winning the war in 2020, Azerbaijan now keeps threatening Armenia over the Zangezur corridor.
Armenia considers the Zangezur corridor a threat to its sovereignty. While Iran has already threatened this corridor by calling it a 'red line'. Iran is strongly against this corridor, so this corridor becomes very important for India strategically, because India already operates Chabahar port in Iran. If this corridor is built, Armenia's land connection with Iran will be almost cut off, due to which it will be completely surrounded by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Apart from this, this corridor will provide Turkey direct land access to Azerbaijan, Iran and beyond to the Caspian Sea and Central Asian countries, which will be connected to the Middle Corridor. This will help it to rapidly increase its influence in the region. That is why Turkey opposes the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor i.e. IMEC. Because with its construction, Türkiye's influence will shrink.
India's concerns and how can India give tension?
India has become a strong strategic partner of Armenia for the last few years. India has continuously exported modern weapons like SWATHI Weapon Locating Radar, Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket System and ATGM to Armenia for the last few years. This policy of India is part of the effort to balance the joint axis of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan. If the Zangezur corridor is built, it will also become a threat to India's strategic investment, especially if Armenia loses contact with Iran and feels geo-strategically 'surrounded'.
Apart from this, the second big bet for India is Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). India is preparing this corridor in collaboration with Iran and Russia so that it can establish direct land and sea links to Afghanistan, Central Asia and Europe and bypass Pakistan. But the Zangezur corridor can limit the influence of INSTC and offer an alternative trade route through the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Caspian region. This can weaken India's connectivity strategy. The third major concern is that Azerbaijan is now not only getting closer to Pakistan, but it has also joined China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). If this corridor is built and connectivity from Pakistan's Gwadar Port to the Caspian Sea is linked, then it will become a new extension of CPEC, which will be directly against India's strategic dominance.
How can India counter
To prevent the Zangezur corridor from being built, India can give more help to Armenia and work together with Iran. For Zangezur CorridorArmenia will have to be given economic and military help along with diplomatic help. India has many indigenous weapons which Azerbaijan fears. Akash missile system and Brahmos have become a living example of this in the war with Pakistan, in front of which even Turkey is not capable of standing. Apart from this, India will have to move Chabahar and INSTC forward at a fast pace with Iran and ensure transparency and partnership with Russia on Caucasus policy. India will have to completely clear its diplomatic position regarding Azerbaijan and make a counter strategy against the trilateral axis of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan. India should no longer consider this corridor a local dispute and if Azerbaijan and Turkey can reach Pakistan, then India should also make a dangerous counterattack.
