Positions of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey on India-Pakistan Conflict
Indian Border Security Force personnel guard the closed Attari-Wagah border crossing to Pakistan on April 24. Source: Hindustan Times
BY ARUNANSH B. GOSWAMI and SUMIT KAUSHIK
Members of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, designated as a terrorist entity under UNSC resolution 1267 (1999) and trained in Pakistan, on April 22 carried out a horrific attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. This assault claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Nepalese national, marking the highest civilian death toll in a terrorist act in India since the Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008. Many victims were interrogated about their religion to single out non-Muslims before being executed. The Pahalgam attack was marked by extreme brutality, with most victims shot in the head at close range in front of their families, who were deliberately traumatized by the nature of the killings, accompanied by threats intended to send a chilling message.
India launched “Operation Sindoor” hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed. Armenia has come out in support of India after the operation, whereas Azerbaijan has supported Pakistan as expected by geopolitical pundits.
Foreign Minister of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan said, “I would like to begin by recalling what caused this escalation. A terrorist attack was carried out, and the Republic of Armenia responded promptly, by condemning the act of terrorism, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and showing solidarity with their relatives. I believe that no civilized country can ever condone or welcome terrorism, the latter can only be condemned. And I believe we must also recognize the country’s right to defend itself against terrorism. To be honest, this is the perspective through which we view this issue, this is how we perceive it, and this is our position.”
Pakistan is the only country in the world that does not recognize Armenia. Recently, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, acknowledged that Islamabad provided support to terrorist organizations for thirty years. During an interview with a British news outlet, he conceded that Pakistan engaged in ‘dirty work’ for the West when questioned about its past involvement in financing and supporting terrorist groups. Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto said in an interview to Sky Channel that it was no secret that Pakistan had a past, and the consequences of that were deeply felt within the country. “As far as what the defence minister said, I don’t think it is a secret that Pakistan has a past.”
In 2020, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Pakistani Special Forces of collaborating with the Azerbaijani military in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. During an interview with the Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya on October 15, Pashinyan claimed that Pakistani troops, in conjunction with Turkish forces, were involved in the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pakistan has not just used terror as a geopolitical tool against its neighbors, but also exported terror to region like Nagorno-Karabakh to eliminate its enemy Armenia, that according to its strategic community is a “Kafir” non-Muslim nation preventing connectivity between Turkey and Azerbaijan, which have majority Muslim populations.
After “Operation Sindoor,” Baku has supported its all-weather-friend Islamabad, according to statement No:184/25 by Azerbaijani foreign ministry, on escalation of tension between India and Pakistan Baku has condemned New Delhi’s military action against Islamabad to destroy terrorist establishments in Pakistan. Baku has shown solidarity with the people of Pakistan, even referring to terrorists as innocent victims, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Baku said, “we express condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured.”
Turkey has consistently supported Azerbaijan and Pakistan, both of which have been accused of violating international law against innocent civilians. In return, Ankara has received backing from Baku and Islamabad against its adversaries. Recent media reports indicate that Turkish C-130 Hercules transport planes delivered military supplies to Pakistan last month. In 2021, the two nations formalized an agreement to bolster cooperation through joint arms manufacturing, making Turkey Pakistan’s second-largest arms supplier after China. According to the Eurasian Times, citing the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 10 percent of Ankara’s arms exports from 2020 to 2024 are designated for Islamabad.
Furthermore, there are indications that both countries are working together to establish a joint facility for producing Turkish-designed fighter jets. Their collaboration extends beyond military affairs, as Turkey has consistently backed Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, while Islamabad has expressed solidarity with Ankara regarding its claims on Cyprus.
As defense cooperation between New Delhi and Yerevan grows, it is crucial for nations with shared geopolitical interests, such as India, Armenia, Greece, and Cyprus, to strengthen their defense collaboration. The ongoing human rights violations by Islamabad, Baku, and Ankara in various regions must be addressed, and it is imperative for peace-seeking countries to unite and take action to ensure this.
Arunansh B. Goswami is an author, historian and advocate in the Supreme Court of India. He is a member of the Bar Association of Delhi and the Supreme Court Bar Association in India. Goswami has written on the history, culture and politics of various countries in several national and international publications. He is a visiting fellow of the Orbeli Analytical Research Center initiative of Public Relations and Information Center, SNCO, Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia.
Sumit Kaushik is a Public Policy and Social Impact Consultant.
