Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict and India

Relevance: GS2 - Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora Prelims - Current events of national and international importance

(Source: India Express, 10/06/2023)

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Why in the news?

• The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh is called one of the “frozen conflicts” of the world.
• Conflict in this region may impact India's connectivity initiatives and other ties in the region.
• In this article we will look at the geography and history of the region; India’s stand over the conflict; impact on India etc.

History of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

• The 1.2 lakh population of the region is predominantly ethnic Armenian, having close cultural, social, and historical ties with Armenia.
• The Armenians are Christians, while Azeris are Muslims. The conclave is connected to Armenia through the 5-km Lachin Corridor.
• So Nagorno-Karabakh can be called an ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan.
• Due to this ethnic diversity issue has persisted in this region for a long past.
• When the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991 and Armenia and Azerbaijan achieved statehood, Nagorno-Karabakh officially declared independence.
• After the disintegration of the USSR the issue was raised more and unsolved till date.

India’s Stand

• Initially, India supported the idea of respecting territorial integrity but modified its stance following Azerbaijan’s support for Pakistan.
• India has previously supported Russia, the USA, and France by voting against an Azerbaijani resolution that demanded the evacuation of Armenian forces in 2008.
• India supports OSCE Minsk Group’s continued efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
• Recently, India has encouraged the parties to move forward on ensuring long-term peace and security in the region through dialogue and diplomacy, which includes the safety and well-being of all civilians.

Impact on India

• Because of the geographical location of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the region is important as a viable corridor for India’s connectivity with Russia and Europe through Central Asia and Iran.
• The Conflict can impact India’s major initiatives for connectivity as follows;
• International North South Transport Corridor:
  • Armenia and Azerbaijan are members of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which India is keen to develop. India supports Armenia’s proposal to include Iran’s Chabahar port in INSTC.
• It can also connect India with Turkey and beyond through the Baku - Tbilisi - Kars passenger and freight rail link.
• ONGC India has made investments in an oilfield project in Azerbaijan and GAIL is exploring the possibilities of cooperation in LNG.
• So persistent conflict in the region can hamper strategic, economic and geopolitical aspects of India as mentioned above.

India - Azerbaijan - Armenia Relation

Historical ties between India and Armenia

• According to literary evidence, Indian settlements in Armenia were established by two princes (Krishna and Ganesh escaping from Kannauj) in 149 BC.
• Emperor Akbar, who is believed to have an Armenian wife Mariam Zamani Begum, granted them privileges and considerable religious freedom.
• In the 16th century, Armenian communities emerged in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Agra. Today, the vestigial community is mainly settled in Kolkata.
• In 2022, the India-Armenia deal to supply Armenian armed forces with PINAKA multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRL), anti-tank munitions, and ammunition and warlike stores.

Historical ties between India and Azerbaijan

• The ‘Ateshgah’ fire temple in the vicinity of Baku is an 18th-century monument, with a much older history, and has wall inscriptions in Devanagari and Gurmukhi.
• In modern times, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, India recognised the independence of Armenia and Azerbaijan and established diplomatic relations.

Conclusion

Armenia-Azerbaijan conflicts reflect the failure of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In the absence of a peacekeeping force and the political will for peace, low-level frictions have persisted over the years. Under these circumstances, India has done the right thing to adopt a balanced and neutral stance and pitching for a political solution as outlined in the Madrid Principles.

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FAQs

MCQs

Question: Which one of the following countries does not border the Caspian Sea? (UPSC CSE 2003)

(a) Armenia

(b) Azerbaijan

(c) Kazakhstan

(d) Turkmenistan