Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and India

Why in the News?

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh is called one of the “frozen conflicts” of the world.

• Azerbaijan launched an offensive on Sep 19 and within 24 hours, declared victory over the separatist province of Nagorno-Karabakh.
• The ethnic Armenian enclave is said to dissolve on January 1, 2024.

The Conflict over the decades:

1. Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous region officially recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but has 1.2 lakh population who are predominantly ethnic Armenian, having close cultural, social, and historical ties with Armenia.
2. Basically, Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. 
3. The Armenians are Christians, while Azeris are Muslims.
4. The conclave is connected to Armenia through the 5-km Lachin Corridor.
5. When Czarist Russia became the Soviet Union in 1921, Nagorno-Karabakh was part of the Azerbaijan SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic).
6. In 1923, USSR established the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast which is home to a 95% ethnically Armenian population, within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.
7. Tensions in the region began first in 1998 when Nagorno-Karabakh’s regional legislature passed a resolution declaring its intention to join Armenia, despite being geographically located within Azerbaijan.
8. When the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991 and Armenia and Azerbaijan achieved statehood, Nagorno-Karabakh officially declared independence.
9. However, war broke out and by 1993, Armenia had captured Nagorno-Karabakh, and additionally, occupied 20% of Azerbaijan’s geographic area.
10. In 1994, Russia brokered a ceasefire known as the Bishkek Protocol which made Nagorno-Karabakh de facto independent with a self-proclaimed government in Stepanakert, but still heavily reliant on close economic, political, and military ties with Armenia.
11. In September 2020, Azerbaijan and Armenia went to war again and Azerbaijan managed to wrest control of the territory around Nagorno-Karabakh.
12. In December 2022, the Lachin Corridor was blockaded by Azerbaijan causing severe shortages of essential goods including food, fuel and water in Nagorno-Karabakh.
13. In September 2023, an agreement to reopen the Lachin Corridor was agreed to, and later Azerbaijan launched an “anti-terrorist” offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh and claimed to have regained full control over the region.

India’s position:

1. India has ties with both Armenia and Azerbaijan and has not picked sides in the conflict.
2. India believes in diplomatic negotiations as lasting resolution for the conflict and supports the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group’s continued efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
3. India-Armenia ties:
   1. Historical ties:
      1. Indian settlements in Armenia were established by two princes (Krishna and Ganesh escaping from Kannauj) in 149 BC.
      2. Emperor Akbar, who is believed to have an Armenian wife Mariam Zamani Begum, granted Armenian traders who visited India with privileges and considerable religious freedom.
   2. Armenia publicly endorses India’s position on the resolution of the Kashmir issue on a bilateral basis.
   3. It supports India’s aspiration for a permanent seat in the expanded UN Security Council.
   4. India-Armenia deal (2022) was agreed to supply Armenian armed forces with PINAKA multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRL), anti-tank munitions, and ammunitions and warlike stores worth US $250 million.
4. Historical ties between India and Azerbaijan:
   1. the ‘Ateshgah’ fire temple in the vicinity of Baku is an 18th-century monument has wall inscriptions in Devanagari and Gurmukhi.
   2. Indian merchants travelled on the Silk Route to Europe enjoyed in Azerbaijani cities such as Baku and Ganja.
5. Azerbaijan’s proximity to Pakistan has been perceived as an irritant in the ties by India
6. India’s interest lies in the region which is central to its plans of connectivity through the south Caucasus region.

1. 1. The region shall act as a viable corridor for India’s connectivity with Russia and Europe through Central Asia and Iran.
   2. Armenia and Azerbaijan are members of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which India is keen to develop.
   3. India supports Armenia’s proposal to include Iran’s Chabahar port in INSTC.