Independence Day of Azerbaijan and the 100th anniversary of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev celebrated in India
The Embassy of Azerbaijan to India hosted the reception dedicated to the May 28 - Independence Day and the 100th anniversary of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
Representatives of the Indian government, members of parliament, diplomats, representatives of business circles and the media participated at the reception.
After the national anthems were played, Ambassador Ashraf Shikhaliyev noted that 2023 was declared "Year of Heydar Aliyev" in Azerbaijan and 100th anniversary of the birth of National Leader Heydar Aliyev was celebrated in our country.
The diplomat said that the history and development of modern Azerbaijan is connected with the name of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. He emphasized that after the return to power in 1993, Azerbaijan began to follow the path of stability and development. The ambassador noted that thanks to the energy strategy of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the foundation of sustainable development of the country was laid as a result of the contribution of energy resources to the economy, their introduction to the world market, and at the same time, the attraction of the largest oil companies operating in the world to Azerbaijan.
Talking about Azerbaijan-India relations, the ambassador said that the economic relations between the countries are developing, and a large number of Indian companies are operating in Azerbaijan. He noted that in the post-pandemic period, the visits of Indian tourists to our country have increased sharply, and mutual visits will increase further as a result of the Baku-Delhi direct flight operated by Azerbaijan Airlines.
Secretary West Mr. Sanjay Verma, recalled with pleasure the meeting with his counterpart Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Elnur Mammadov and said that a new ambassador of India was recently appointed to Azerbaijan.
S.Verma spoke about historical relations between the two nations and described Azerbaijan as an important country located between Asia and Europe. Speaking about economic relations, S.Verma said that the trade turnover between our countries reached 2 billion dollars in 2022, and with this indicator, India is the 5th largest trade partner of Azerbaijan. Additionally, he noted that among the tourists who visit Azerbaijan the most, Indian tourists are ranked 4th and pointed out that this contributes to the development of the country's economy, as well as the growth of the non-oil sector.
S.Verma conveyed his congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and emphasized that there is great potential for further development of relations between India and Azerbaijan.
At the event, Turkan Sadiqzadeh and Gunay Bandaliyeva, who studied classical Indian dance at the Sri Ram Bharatiya Kala Kendra Institute in Delhi, performed the national dances of Azerbaijan.
During the reception Embassy organized a photo exhibition dedicated to the National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
