Azerbaijan and Armenia have signed an agreement allowing the mutual transit of international internet traffic, creating a direct telecommunications link between the two countries for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The deal, announced on 17 June by AzerTelecom and Telecom Armenia, is intended to improve route diversity and network resilience in the South Caucasus.
While presented as a commercial telecommunications arrangement, the agreement carries broader regional significance. For decades, Armenia’s access to international internet networks relied primarily on routes through Georgia and Iran due to closed borders with Azerbaijan and Türkiye. The new arrangement establishes a direct digital connection between Armenian and Azerbaijani networks, representing an important step after decades of conflict.
Under the agreement, AzerTelecom will carry internet traffic destined for Armenia through its network, while Telecom Armenia will provide reciprocal transit services for traffic heading to Azerbaijan. The partnership also connects Armenia to Azerbaijan’s wider connectivity projects, including the “Digital Silk Way” initiative, which seeks to strengthen data links between Europe and Asia.
The development follows a gradual process of normalisation of relations between Baku and Yerevan. Notably, Azerbaijan has repeatedly identified the restoration of transport and communication links as a key component of a future peace settlement. Since the initialling of a peace agreement during a summit in Washington in August 2025, the two sides have taken several important steps, including progress on border delimitation and the easing of certain transit restrictions.
The telecommunications agreement is also significant because it was negotiated by private operators rather than government officials. Industry observers note that commercial infrastructure projects can create long-term economic ties and mutual dependencies that are more difficult to reverse than political declarations.
The deal may also have implications for future regional connectivity initiatives. Attention is increasingly focused on the Black Sea Green Energy Corridor, a major project involving Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary that aims to transmit renewable electricity from the Caspian region to Europe through a submarine cable across the Black Sea. Although Armenia is not currently part of the project, the new internet transit arrangement demonstrates that practical cross-border infrastructure cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is becoming increasingly feasible as relations continue to improve.
Source: commonspace.eu with AzerNEWS.
