Spotlight on Ahmedabad
Azerbaijan Airlines is likely to add Ahmedabad to its map soon, making it its third direct destination to India. The airline already has daily direct flights connecting the nation’s capital, Baku, to Delhi and Mumbai. There can be a maximum of 21 weekly flights by the country’s respective carriers, states the Air Services Agreement between India and Azerbaijan.
Baku has become a popular tourist destination for Indians, as it possesses all qualities that an Indian tourist looks for – history, entertainment and connectivity. It gained popularity amongst Indians recently, if we go by the statistics of the past few years. IndiGo Airlines too had direct flights to Baku, which were suspended when the conflict in West Asia began earlier this year. In fact, right after the outbreak of the conflict in West Asia, as many as 400 Indians were evacuated (including diplomats and their families) via Azerbaijan as direct flights were coming into India.
“The request for connecting Azerbaijan Airlines to Ahmedabad has already been made and we are awaiting a response from the Indian side to give a final go-ahead before we commence operations on this sector,” says an official of the embassy of Azerbaijan in India. “In 2024, Indians were the third largest tourists in Azerbaijan and we are hoping to increase the inflows further. From January to March this year, we have had some 17,374 visitors and are optimistic about the numbers increasing once Ahmedabad is added,” the official adds.
To start with, Baku will have four flights per week to Ahmedabad. “Azerbaijan is a good destination for Indian tourists,” affirms Subhash Goyal, founder & chairman, STIC Travels, and member, National Tourism Advisory Council. “It’s just four hours away and halfway through Europe. There is a fire temple there, which is a
major attraction for Indian tourists and also popular in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) segment. It is safe and gaining popularity amongst Indians across all age groups, as there is a mix of culture, tradition and modern-day entertainment”.
Destination weddings, film and video shoots by Indians across Azerbaijan are becoming increasingly popular. Interestingly, 1,328 Indian companies are registered in Azerbaijan – though only 1,180 are active. And, though the trade figures between India and Azerbaijan have reduced from $1.88 billion in 2022 to $400.6 million in 2025, there is likely to be a surge now, as the conflict in West Asia is making all countries scout for more partners – especially in the energy sector.
ONGC’s forays
ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) has invested over $1.2 billion in Azerbaijan since 2013. Its holdings include a participating stake in BP-operated Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) offshore oilfield and the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline.
Indian students, too, are going to study medicine in Azerbaijan. Though the numbers are only about 500 now, increasing connectivity will encourage more Indian students to consider that as a study destination. “Every year, the government of Azerbaijan gives scholarships to Indian students,” the official from the Azerbaijan Embassy adds. “These are amongst the scholarships given to students of other nationalities, but an Indian student is always amongst the beneficiaries”.
Meanwhile, Sri Sri Ravishankar recently inaugurated the ‘Art of Living Centre’ and ‘Sri Sri Wellbeing Centre’ in Baku. “People in Azerbaijan know how to take care of their health through ayurveda, yoga, osteopathy and meditation,” said Ravishankar. Also, interestingly, Sri Sri University in Bengaluru has an Azerbaijani scholar teaching multicultural courses to Indian students.
Recently, Abhay Kumar, the Indian ambassador in Baku, inaugurated an exhibition titled ‘Cultural bridges between India and Azerbaijan’, highlighting the millennia-old civilisational connections between the two nations dating back to the Bronze Age. The historic Ateshgah Temple in Azerbaijan features several inscriptions in Devanagari script and has Indian religious symbols like the Om and Swastika displayed there.