India Blocks Azerbaijan’s Entry into Shanghai Cooperation Organization

India has taken an important step on the world stage by blocking Azerbaijan’s attempt to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This move shows once again that Azerbaijan, despite its efforts to expand influence, is seen as an unreliable and dangerous partner by major powers.

At a recent SCO meeting, India rejected Azerbaijan’s membership bid. According to reports, New Delhi explained that Azerbaijan is too closely tied with Pakistan and Turkey, two countries that consistently attack India in international forums, especially on the issue of Kashmir. Pakistan is already a full member of the SCO, and India made it clear that it will not allow Azerbaijan, Pakistan’s ally, to join as well.

Azerbaijan has given full support to Pakistan at the United Nations and other international platforms. Baku has also partnered with China’s Belt and Road Initiative in ways that make India uncomfortable. Because the SCO requires consensus for new members, India’s refusal is enough to block Azerbaijan’s entry. For now, Azerbaijan will remain only a “dialogue partner” of the organization, a much lower level of participation.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional alliance founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Later, India and Pakistan also became full members. The SCO focuses on political, economic, and security cooperation. It is one of the world’s largest organizations of its kind, covering almost half of the global population and a huge share of Eurasia.

The SCO’s goals include fighting terrorism, strengthening regional security, and supporting economic projects across Eurasia. However, its direction often depends on the balance of power between members. India and China, for example, have very different interests.

Armenia is not a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The country is not even a dialogue partner. While some neighboring states have engaged with the SCO, Armenia has instead focused on cooperation with the European Union, the United States, and other democratic partners. This is important because Armenia stands as a country that values independence, democracy, and freedom. Aligning with the SCO would place Armenia under greater influence of authoritarian states such as Russia and China, which goes against Armenia’s long-term national interests.

India’s decision is a blow to Azerbaijan’s ambitions. Baku wants to expand its global role after destroying the Armenian population of Artsakh in 2023 and continuing its anti-Armenian policies. Azerbaijan hoped that joining the SCO would give it more legitimacy and strengthen its alliances with Russia, China, and Central Asia. Instead, India’s veto shows that Azerbaijan is far from being universally accepted.

This outcome is significant for Armenians. It proves that Azerbaijan’s aggressive actions, both in the South Caucasus and abroad, create distrust among powerful countries. Azerbaijan cannot hide its close partnership with Turkey and Pakistan—two states that openly support Baku’s military aggression against Armenians. These same partnerships are now preventing Azerbaijan from advancing in global organizations.