Azerbaijan to prioritise military cooperation during OTS chairmanship, pundit says

Azerbaijan’s upcoming chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in 2026 will prioritise enhancing military cooperation among member countries, with a particular focus on defence and security issues, Javid Veliyev, a member of the board at the Center for Analysis of International Relations said.

Speaking following a recent panel discussion in Ankara titled "Azerbaijan's Chairmanship of the OTS and the Future of the Turkic World," Veliyev emphasised that one of the key areas of focus for Azerbaijan will be the concept of a "joint army of the Turkic world," a vision that aligns with the broader goal of strengthening military ties within the OTS, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

He also pointed out that Azerbaijan would seek to build on the successful military cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, particularly the joint military exercises conducted since 2013.

According to Veliyev, in 2024 alone, 25 joint military exercises were held between Türkiye and Azerbaijan. He expressed the intention to expand this model of cooperation to include other Turkic states, leveraging the expertise and experience gained from the Azerbaijan-Türkiye collaboration to foster deeper defense and security ties across the organisation.

By Sabina Mammadli