Overview

• Azerbaijani broadcaster AnewZ reported that New Delhi again stopped Azerbaijan’s push to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, accusing India of carrying bilateral disputes into the forum.
• The same report said China maintained support for Azerbaijan’s application to join the bloc.
• Coverage in Baku and Indian outlets tied the reported move to Azerbaijan’s backing of Pakistan during India’s Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam attack.
• At a meeting in Tianjin, President Ilham Aliyev praised Pakistan and said a “brotherhood” with Islamabad would take priority, according to Turkish media accounts.
• India has issued no official comment on the membership claim, and analysts note Azerbaijan–Pakistan cooperation has grown even as SCO expansions require consensus across members.