"Heydar Aliyev is a powerful personality who successfully brought his people out of the time"s complex historical and political trials and brought them to independence through consistent struggle. The people of Azerbaijan entered the new century and the new millennium precisely in the light of Heydar Aliyev"s intelligence."

Ilham Aliyev,

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

An entire stage of the history of Azerbaijan is connected with the name of the unique statesman of the 20th century, the world-famous politician, National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The name of the Great Leader has become a symbol of modern independent Azerbaijan, exemplary deeds based on national interests have become a symbol of valor, and his life and activities have become a measure of immense love and loyalty to his native people and land.

In the core of his wise saying "Azerbaijan will rise over the world like the Sun!", the genius of Heydar Aliyev, a charismatic personality and an irreplaceable blessing being imborded in a simple human being, a wisdom for salvation, which Almighty gave to the people of Azerbaijan exactly 100 years ago, is becoming clearer & clearer thoughout the coming years.

As the life of an exemplary Leader is deeply studied during the century, the reviewing of the socio-political processes that took place in Azerbaijan, and the historical significance and role of their results for the formation of national identity by the future generation has become a high priority. The meaningful life path and multifaceted legacy of Heydar Aliyev, who won eternity owing to his exceptional services for the sake of Azerbaijan, is an inexhaustible school of lessons. Looking back over the past decades, we once again witness the important historical achievements of Azerbaijan’s Great Leader thanks to his understanding, inflexible determination, steel will, and rich statecraft experience. The renaissance and awakening of national consciousness began with Heydar Aliyev"s coming to power, and thanks to him the state independence has became eternal and irreversible.

The bright memory of Heydar Aliyev, the founder of the modern Azerbaijan state, who is the center of attention of the world today with his political-military, and socio-economic achievements, will remain in the hearts and memories of our people forever. I fill very proud to live at the same time period with him and met him personnaly, earned his trust and have been promoted to responsible positions, worked under his wise leadership and bow down with deep respect to his soul!

Despite being subjected to the political and ideological pressure of the imperial administration for many years, the people of Azerbaijan preserved their language and religion, developed their national culture, and maintained their statehood as a union republic. After the Great Leader came to power in 1969, Azerbaijan entered the stage of great construction and creativity, rapid development, and progress in all spheres of life. First of all, vital decisions were made and practical measures were taken regarding development of national human resources and their appointment to important positions, for strengthening of public administration institutions, and the development of science, education, industry, health, culture, and other spheres. Thousands of young Azerbaijanis were sent to the leading public administration schools, science and educational institutions of the former Soviet Union and acquired qualifications related to advanced industrial production fields. During this period, the national income, the total producrion in industry & agiculture increased by several times, more capital funds were invested in the development of the economy than in previous decades, and hundreds of large plants and factories were built and put into operation.

The mentioned above huge amount of work having been done, incorporated the restoration of Azerbaijan"s independence, and the foundation and development of the defense industry, which played an assential role in preventing Armenia"s military aggression against our country.

When highlighting the incomparable services of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev to the people of Azerbaijan, it is important firstly to come back to the period of 1969-1982, when the genius leader led our republic during the time of the former Soviet Union.

After Heydar Aliyev was elected as the head of Azerbaijan in 1969, along with other areas of the republic"s economy, huge work has been carried out in the field of military education and defense industry and despite all the obstacles, a wide range of enterprises, being the basis of the Ministry of Defenсe Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan located in various cities of the country, have been established. Unequivocally, the work done during these years by implementing large-scale projects, the National Leader thought about the future and the independence of Azerbaijan.

At that time, on the personal initiative and effort of the Great Leader, the "Azon" plant was built and put into operation in a short time on the basis of the Baku "Mikroskhematechnika" Special Design Bureau, within the Ministry of Electronics of the USSR, in 1975, In Baku, the Electronic Computer plant was set up and put into operation in a short period of time. As a whole, in 1970-1982, a large number of factories and industries, including scientific and production facilities for defense purposes, were commissioned in the territory of the republic, in Baku, Sumgait, Ganja, Mingachevir, Shirvan, and other cities. It is no coincidence that industrial products produced in Azerbaijan at that time were exported to 65 world countries.

Taking into account the demographic growth and the existing scientific potential in Azerbaijan, the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev raised the question before the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPSU on the necessity to establish enterprises of the heavy machine-building and military-industrial complex of the USSR in the republic. As a result of his proposal and diligent work, the construction of three new enterprises in the radio  & instrument engineering field - the Radio-Engineering plant ("Robot" Plant), the branch of the “Lionozov Electromechanics Plant” in Tartar and the second constraction stage of the “Electronic Computer” plant, four enterprises in the electronic industry: "Billur" plant in Ganja, "Kondensator" plants in Khachmaz, Siyazand and Lankaran and “Azon” plant  -  a brunch of Optika-Mechanika ("Alov") plant, construction of Alunit plant and new production areas at Baku Electro-Mechanical Institute for the shipbuilding industry, and later on its basis the establishment of "Nord" Scientific-Production Union (SPU), the widening of production areas in the aviation industry, etc. are vivid  examples of the immeasurable activity performed by the National Leader.

Heydar Aliyev, foreseeing the need to establish oil engineering enterprises in our oil-rich republic, made invaluable suggestions on the construction and expansion of new engineering enterprises with the possibility of changing the production profile in accordance with war conditions. At that time, the outstanding statesman Heydar Aliyev used his personal influence and will to stimulate the development of the military-industrial complex and the heavy machin- building industry in Azerbaijan and managed to complete the construction and commissioning of new enterprises and plants: "Ulduz" SPU, Ali Bayramli "Araz" plant (now Shirvan "Araz"), Scientific Research Institute "Rabita". 

In 1975, owing to the efforts taken by the genius leader who always paid special attention to the development of science, a decision was made to establish the "KASPI" Scientific Center within the structure of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences. In 1978, the Institute of Space Research of Natural Resources was established on the basis of the Center, and in 1982, the Scientific-Production Union of Space Research was established on its basis.

However, due to the political and socio-economic situation in the former USSR in the second half of the 1980s, and the historical injustice committed on the part of the central government towards Heydar Aliyev, the expanding development and construction works in Azerbaijan were almost put an end.

Azerbaijan, which just regained its independence in 1991, faced severe and difficult trials. The territorial claims of Armenia to Azerbaijan, the forced expulsion of our compatriots from their historical ancestral lands and have becomed refugees, and the unforgivable mistakes made by the republican leadership at that time regarding the resolution of the Karabakh problem caused the socio-political situation in the country to become more and more difficult. On the one hand, the Armenian military aggression was increasing, our regions and villages were being occupied, and on the other hand, the political strife for power within the country was intensifying, and as a result, our people suffered heavy losses. In such a terrible political situation in Azerbaijan, attempts were made to divide the country, seize the central power, and riots were committed by the armed groups that arose in different regions. Civil war had already begun in the country. Illegal armed gangs and criminal elements belonging to individuals and political groups were raging almost all over the country. Due to the incompetence of the government at that time, which was unable to prevent all this, the events of Ganja in June 1993 opened the way for the country to split, and the people faced the loss of state independence. Taking this opportunity, Armenia expanded occupation of Azerbaijani lands with every day.

During that period, the widespread activities of external and internal destructive forces, which for centuries dreamed to divide Azerbaijan and confront citizens of the country by creating a conflict in the republic. That is why well-known intellectuals and patriots of Azerbaijan who cared about their people addressed several times to the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and insisted on inviting him to take power. In fact, the people have been raising this demand regularly since the 1988 rallies. Hundreds of thousands of people demanded that Heydar Aliyev"s genius, administrative experience, determination, and foresight be used during that critical time for the state and he be allowed to return to power.

In those years, the Great Leader worked as the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and thanks to his political influence, will and invaluable efforts, the armed aggression of Armenia on the land of Azerbaijan, which has become a symbol of steadfastness and indomitability, was resolutely prevented every time, stability was ensured, and democratic state - building was created.

In May-June 1993, when the crisis of power, and chaos in the republic came to a head and the country faced the threat of civil war and loss of independence, the people of Azerbaijan stood up insistently demanding that Heydar Aliyev be brought to power. It turned into a truly national movement, and as a result, the Great Leader was elected the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan on June 15, 1993. That day entered the history of the Azerbaijani people as the Salvation Day, and the struggle for national freedom and independence led by Heydar Aliyev was a real triumph. The threat of destruction of Azerbaijani statehood, civil war, and the disintegration of the country had been eliminated. On June 24, 1993, by the decision of the Milli Majlis, the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev began to exercise the powers of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. On October 3, 1993, he was elected the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a result of a national vote.

With the return of Heydar Aliyev to the leadership of Azerbaijan, there was a serious turn in the country"s socio-political, socio-economic, defense and security, scientific and cultural life, international relations, and the process of independent state building started in accordance with the principles of modern, secular, democratic and legal statehood. The coup attempts of October 1994 and March 1995, being a great threat to the existence of the Azerbaijani statehood, were resolutely prevented, the state independence was preserved, attempts to come to power by violence, entailing armed uprising were put an end to, and sustainable socio-political stability was established in the country.

After ensuring internal stability, Heydar Aliyev started intensive activities in the field of development and implementation of large-scale international economic projects in compliance with the national interests of the country. On September 1994, the "Contract of the Century" was signed in Baku with 11 world"s largest oil companies, which acted as a protective shield for republic’s economic progress & development. As a result, the contract created favourable conditions for the signing of new contracts and implementation of more grandiose projects, allowing Azerbaijan to become an important regional actor to ensure international energy security in the future. Today, taking into account the above, and possessing strong investment fund to revive economic activity of the country are important socio-political and economic factors that will strengthen the role and position of Azerbaijan in the international arena.

Since 1994, National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who guided the future development strategy of Azerbaijan, made correct and decisive decisions and started the period of recovery and long-term dynamic development of the country. As a result, the financial situation in the country has stabilized, the amount of investments involved in the economy increased year by year, and the living standards were improved.

As a result of the perseverance and determination of the Great Leader, it was possible to sign the contract on the construction of the main oil export pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, which was one of the foundational pillars of solving the fateful Karabakh issue facing our people has been laid. The cash flows from oil export were directed towards defense, security and other economy sectors in compliance with the planned strategy, and created conditions for improving the material and technical base of the Azerbaijan Army year by year.

National leader Heydar Aliyev paid special attention to the creation and development of the modern defense industry infrastructure of the independent Azerbaijan. Under his leadership, taking into account the fact that the republic was at war, purposeful measures were taken in the direction of army building. Giving orders to the republic"s defense industry enterprises for the production of weapons, military equipment, ammunition, logistics, and other related materiel for the Armed Forces created conditions for the development of the country"s economy. On September 30, 1993, when the Great Leader was the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, he personally inaugurated the "Peyk" (Satellite) plant of the defense industry in Baku, which produced multilayer printed circuit boards by attracting foreign investors is one of the examples of the above-mentioned.

In 2003, in order to strengthen the military-technical base of the Army and reduce external dependence in the field, a new stage of the development of the defense industry of the republic started with the approval of the "State Program on the Development of Defence Industry Enterprises of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2003-2005" by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev.

Always thinking of Azerbaijan and its people, the Great Leader spent all his life, health and work, working day and night for the development of the republic and the welfare of its citizens. As a result of his unparalleled services, the independence of the state was preserved, became eternal and permanent, as well as all the strategic goals of the country"s future development were determined, and the foundation was laid for the continuous rise and power of Azerbaijan in the following years. National Leader Heydar Aliyev addressed the people during the decisive period of the presidential elections of 2003: "I believe that with your help and support, Ilham Aliyev will be able to complete the fateful issues, plans, and work that I could not finish. I believe in him as much as myself and have high hopes for his future."

On October 15, 2003, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, a worthy follower of the Great Leader"s political line, won the absolute trust of the people and was elected the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and thus our country entered the stage of renewal, modernization and   development.

Honorable President Mr. Ilham Aliyev is successfully following the work started by the National Leader in relation to security policy and army building, taking advantage of the ever-expanding economic opportunities. The Ministry of Defence Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan was established by a Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated December 16, 2005 to perform assigned fateful tasks to add to accelerating the diversification of the country"s economy, ensuring the development of the non-oil sector, further strengthening the country"s defense capabilities and reducing the dependence on imports for the material and technical support of the Armed Forces.

In order to develop the local capabilities of the defence industry, programs for the initial recovery of the activities of the existing enterprises were prepared, priority areas were determined, the demand of the Azerbaijan Army and the related power structures for defense and machine-building industry products was clarified and the relevant measures were taken for the restoration and expansion of beneficial foreign economic relations. In the coming years, for the development of the capabilities and strengthening of the Armed Forces in compliance with their tasks, the requested types of weapons, military and special equipment for conducting operations in new realities have been purchased and its local production started on the basis of the strategic plans developed and accepted under the direct leadership of the Honorable President.

For the last time more than 50 new production sites, equipped with modern technology and machinery purchased within the frame of cooperation with leading companies of different countries were created by assimilation of technology (on license) for production of barrels of different calibers for small arms and their cartridges, pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, cannons, weapon systems, armored vehicles, ammunition for tank and artillery guns, optical devices and the creation of areas for filling ammunition for grenade launchers, mortars. As economic opportunities increased, power structures were equipped with high-end weapon systems meeting, latest standards with incorporation of new technologies, and domestic production of reconnaissance and kamikadze drones, being a real turning point, which determined the fate of wars in the 21st century, was also successfully continued. In addition to satisfying the needs of the Azerbaijan Army and other armed units for defense products, the export of manufactured products to a number of countries was also ensured. Honorable President Mr. Ilham Aliyev himself gave high praise for the work done. In one of his speeches, the head of state said: "On my initiative, the defense industry was created in Azerbaijan. We meet the needs of our military largely through domestic production. More than 1,000 military products are produced in Azerbaijan, including high-end products.

The successful political-economic, military, and diplomatic strategy consistently and decisively implemented by the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Mr. Ilham Aliyev finally gave its yield, and the Patriotic War, which started with a counter-attack on September 27, 2020 and after 44 days was ended on November 8 with historical Victory – the liberation of our lands remaining under occupation for nearly thirty years. To provide the Armed Forces with weaponry, military & special equipment for the defense and liberation of our lands during the Patriotic War, the enterprises of the Ministry of Defence Industry worked in accelerated mode and 72 our employees were engaged in the battles, and 3 our employees rose to the height of martyrdom.

The amazing successes of Azerbaijan once again confirm that the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, basing on the political heritage of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, the traditions of statehood, and the will of the people of Azerbaijan, has managed to further develop our state and ensure the realization of the dreams and aspirations of the National Leader regarding the statehood.

The political, economic, and diplomatic successes achieved in recent decades under the wise leadership of the Honorable President Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the purposeful policy consistently implemented in the direction of increasing the country"s defense power, have further strengthened the international reputation of Azerbaijan and provided the opportunity to have the strongest army in the region. Now, as a result of the daily attention and care of the President of our State, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and the 1^st Vice-President Mrs.Mehriban Aliyeva, incomparable construction works are ramping up in the territories freed from occupation with amazing creativity, the construction of new modern settlements and the creation of infrastructure, and most importantly, the priceless services rendered in order to end the thirty-year longing of our citizens who live in the hope of returning to these lands are highly appreciated by our  people.

Nowadays our people and the whole world witnesses the next victory of Heydar Aliyev"s bright deeds with immense joy and pride. Thanks to the wise leadership and decisive leadership of the Honorable President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Mr. Ilham Aliyev, one of the bright results of the glorious Victory engraved in golden letters in the glorious military annals of Azerbaijan in the Patriotic War – the establishment of the checkpoint near the border with Armenia in front of the Lachin-Khankendi road. Azerbaijani people are very proud that this historical event took place on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the birth of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the founder of the independent and modern state of Azerbaijan, which was celebrated with great enthusiasm and sympathy by our people and the entire progressive world, and it is the next brilliant celebration of the incomparable services he performed for the sake of the ideology and the fulfillment of the father’s will of the honorable President and the great leader"s powerful idea of Azerbaijan and its National identity.  

It is a great honor to witness the new great success of the purposeful, decisive, and cold-blooded foreign and military policy of the Honorable President for full control of the water, air, and land borders of Azerbaijan in its sovereign territories with the establishment of a border checkpoint in front of the Lachin-Khankendi road!

Heydar Aliyev, who left an indelible mark in the annals of Azerbaijan"s statehood, was proud of being an Azerbaijani throughout his life and is a source of national pride and honor, recognized as a symbol of Azerbaijan all over the world. Our people always cherish his bright memory and remember it with gratitude. The legacy of the Great Leader of independent Azerbaijan to the present and future generations, and his rich and diverse heritage is the national wealth of our people.

It is the honorable duty of every Azerbaijani to preserve this sacred heritage!

Madat GULIYEV

Minister of Defenсe Industry,

National Hero of Azerbaijan

"Respublika" newspaper, May 10, 2023