However, the recent working visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Turkey and his negotiations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are noteworthy not only because the meeting between the two leaders took place at Esenboğa Airport in Ankara.
The visit was not announced in advance. News of it emerged just a few hours beforehand. According to official releases, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey discussed defense and defense-industrial cooperation between the two countries. However, it is possible that other topics were also touched upon during the talks. There are many theories. One potential discussion topic could be Turkey’s possible rapprochement with BRICS. Certain nuances requiring alignment might have arisen during Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Moscow. The dramatic events in the Middle East could also have been a topic, especially since Ilham Aliyev recently visited Egypt, a key negotiator along with Qatar regarding the Gaza situation. Finally, the “Peace Summit” for Ukraine is opening in Switzerland, which also requires coordination, given that Turkey is one of the few countries conducting its own diplomatic mission to achieve peace in Ukraine.
However, all this is speculative. The “official bottom line” remains the discussion of defense and defense-industrial cooperation, which allows for some serious conclusions. Baku and Ankara already have close and multifaceted cooperation in this area. The Azerbaijani army is equipped with many Turkish weapons, from Bayraktar drones to SOM missiles and various MLRS modifications. Now, it seems, Azerbaijan and Turkey are not just discussing the purchase of Turkish weapons but also joint arms production.
This aligns perfectly with President Aliyev’s stated goal of developing Azerbaijan’s own military-industrial complex, which promises jobs, export revenue, and, of course, strengthened security. Recently, the expansion of military cooperation was discussed during the visit of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to Azerbaijan. For obvious reasons, such issues will be on the agenda of Azerbaijan’s relations with brotherly Turkey, especially considering the recent breakthroughs of the Turkish defense industry. While Turkish UAVs are well-known, Turkey’s military production capabilities extend beyond them. Turkey is launching the Altay tank series, producing a robust lineup of artillery systems, including both barrel and rocket, armored vehicles, missiles, and more. These have proven effective in real conflicts—in Karabakh, Syria, and Libya.
The political situation dictates its realities. Azerbaijan brilliantly achieved its main goal—restoring territorial integrity and liberating its lands from Armenian occupation. However, the absence of a capable army in 1992-1993 cost the country dearly. Similarly, in 2014, Ukraine paid a high price, as did European countries during World War II, which naively believed that a new global conflict would not occur after World War I and the defeat of Germany with Versailles restrictions. They were mistaken.
Today, we cannot afford to repeat those mistakes. Revanchist sentiments are growing in Armenia, both in the opposition and the ruling faction, as President Ilham Aliyev recently noted. Tensions around Iran are escalating, the Ukrainian war continues, and the Middle East is ablaze. Against this backdrop, Azerbaijan is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of its citizens. This involves not only meticulous diplomacy but also a strong military. It is unsurprising that Turkey has become the main partner in this regard.
Therefore, President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Turkey likely marks the beginning of a new stage in the development of the Azerbaijani army and its military-industrial complex. As always, Baku is acting proactively.
