Azerbaijan has been formally admitted to the Central Asian Consultative Meetings, consequently transforming the C5 cooperation format—comprising Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—into the C6. This strategic addition signals growing diplomatic and economic interest in Central Asia and marks a major milestone for regional cooperation. For Central Asian countries, Azerbaijan's participation offers new opportunities for export diversification, expansion of transit geography, and reinforcement of new logistical capacities.

The core rationale behind this deeper cooperation exists across multiple strategic dimensions. Key among these is the enhancement of regional infrastructure and transport, particularly the Middle (Trans-Caspian) Corridor, which serves as critical freight infrastructure connecting China to Europe while circumventing Russian territory. This route enhances supply chain resilience and reduces Central Asian dependency on traditional northern routes. Azerbaijan's role is essential due to its Caspian Sea port access. Other vital areas include the Zangezur Corridor, which will link Central Asian and Azerbaijani transport networks to Europe via Türkiye; the Trans-Caspian Digital Highway, a $50.6 million fiber-optic cable project to facilitate data transmission independent of Russian infrastructure; and the Trans-Caspian Green Energy Corridor, an integrated ecosystem for renewable energy generation and transmission. Moreover, the expanded format facilitates the development of alternative petroleum transportation systems for Central Asian states that bypass Russian infrastructure, utilizing Azerbaijan's established energy export infrastructure like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.

While Azerbaijan's admittance is a major milestone, Central Asia’s regional cooperation format currently has no plans to further institutionalize, with coordination set to the task of national foreign ministries. Looking ahead, Georgia, Mongolia, and Afghanistan represent plausible future expansion candidates, each offering distinct strategic rationales. At the same time, it is yet to be seen whether the platform’s membership will grow, while further expansion may also lead to the loss of its Central Asia-specific nature.