British expertise and Azerbaijani determination Baku — London’s key ally in the Caucasus

Baku and London are strengthening strong, mutually beneficial ties not only in energy and economic sectors but also in security and defence. This was highlighted during a recent meeting between Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defence, Zakir Hasanov, and the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Fergus Auld, where they discussed prospects for deepening military cooperation, enhancing regional security, and addressing a broad range of mutual interests.

In a rapidly changing world, marked by growing military risks and the pressing need to maintain regional stability, Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom are expanding their military-technical cooperation. Notably, defence and political dialogue between the two countries began taking shape as early as the mid-1990s. Even then, London expressed a clear interest in strengthening ties with Baku. Alongside close cooperation in the oil and gas sector, the first contacts between their military departments were established.

By the early 2000s, programmes were launched to train Azerbaijani officers in English and NATO standards. Since then, collaboration between the defence ministries has become systematic, with regular consultations at the level of defence ministers, chiefs of staff, and representatives of the defence-industrial complexes.

The United Kingdom has long been a proponent of peace and stability in the South Caucasus, firmly supporting Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and recognising the country’s vital role in ensuring the energy security of European nations. For the UK, cooperation with Azerbaijan is not only a political priority but also a strategic interest: London sees Baku as a pivotal hub on Europe’s eastern flank, where “smart” communication routes and energy corridors converge.

With its extensive combat experience, the British Army offers immense expertise in personnel training, logistics, troop management, and the deployment of advanced technologies. This expertise is particularly valuable for Azerbaijan, which explains why an increasing number of Azerbaijani military personnel are now receiving training in NATO countries, including Türkiye, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

British military institutions such as the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the Royal College of Defence Studies are recognised among the finest in the world. Participation in British-style training programmes could thus play a crucial role in preparing a new generation of Azerbaijani military specialists—professionals capable of operating effectively in modern warfare, where technology, intelligence, and information management are decisive factors.

In addition, the United Kingdom is actively developing fields such as military medicine, cybersecurity, unmanned systems management, and countering hybrid threats—all of which are of significant interest to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. The UK also ranks among the world’s leaders in defence-industrial development. Its major companies—BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce Defence, Thales UK, QinetiQ, and Leonardo UK—produce cutting-edge weaponry and systems.

For Azerbaijan, which aims to diversify its military procurements and enhance the technological sophistication of its armed forces, cooperation with the United Kingdom offers a valuable complement to existing partnerships with Türkiye and Israel.

Cooperation in military electronics, optics, and communications is particularly important, as British technologies are widely regarded as a global benchmark. The United Kingdom is also advancing solutions in artificial intelligence and autonomous systems—developments that align closely with Azerbaijan’s strategy to digitalise its armed forces and develop indigenous unmanned systems.

Over the past decade, the Azerbaijani defence-industrial complex (DIC) has undergone significant transformation. Today, its products are exported to more than 30 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, a success driven by high quality, competitive pricing, and extensive combat testing, particularly under real wartime conditions.

Most importantly, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces demonstrated their combat power and exceptional professionalism during the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020 and the one-day counter-terrorism operation in the autumn of 2023. These operations proved that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces are capable of executing missions of any complexity, leveraging modern technologies and achieving high-level coordination across branches and service arms.

Since these campaigns, the Azerbaijani army has grown even stronger and more combat-ready, in part due to close cooperation with Türkiye, whose armed forces rank as the second most powerful in NATO. Joint exercises, weapons standardisation, personnel exchanges, and alignment of defence doctrines have all contributed to enhancing the defence potential of both countries. Simultaneously, Azerbaijan continues to expand cooperation with other partners, including the United Kingdom, gaining access to advanced technologies and modern methodologies. This combination of Turkish operational experience and British engineering expertise offers Azerbaijan a unique opportunity to further strengthen its defence capabilities.

Undoubtedly, Azerbaijan’s military cooperation with the United Kingdom extends beyond a purely bilateral framework. It forms part of a broader strategy for regional security, with our country acting as a stabilising force and a bridge between East and West. Baku consistently pursues a balanced, multi-vector foreign policy, strengthening ties with NATO and the EU while simultaneously deepening relations with Turkic states and countries of the Global South. Within this context, military cooperation with the United Kingdom represents a key pillar of Azerbaijan’s overall strategy to reinforce regional peace and prevent the emergence of new conflicts.