BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1.​ Political, economic, and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Italy have steadily developed since Azerbaijan’s independence, reaching a strategic partnership in recent years, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend. Azerbaijan primarily exports crude oil and natural gas to Italy, while Italy supplies industrial equipment, technologies, machinery, food products, and luxury goods to Azerbaijan,” he said. "Italy is Azerbaijan’s largest export market, with crude oil shipments to Italy accounting for over half of the country’s total oil exports. Crude oil exports from Azerbaijan to Italy account for nearly 58 percent of the country’s total oil exports, underscoring the central role of energy cooperation in Azerbaijani-Italian relations. TAP, operational since 2020, delivers natural gas to Italy’s Apulia region and positions Italy as a strategic transit and consumer country for Azerbaijan’s European gas exports," he added.