NEW DELHI, April 19. /TASS/. The International North-South Transport Corridor means not only transporting cargo, but also developing infrastructure along the route, Chairman of the Caspian international integration club North-South Ramazan Abdulatipov told Russian reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.
"The Caspian international integration club North-South is a structure that constantly sends signals to the government that we are missing a lot of beneficial projects on this route. We are talking about not only transit of containers from Europe or St. Petersburg to Mumbai, but also hotels, canteens, restaurants, and recreation facilities along the whole route, with tourist, cultural exchange having a chance to shine here," he said at the opening ceremony of the club’s representative office in India.
"And today when some say that Russia is all by itself, only this route and its possibilities show that Russia is not alone. Sixty percent of the world’s population resides in Asia, which is a huge world," Abdulatipov said.
An intergovernmental agreement on the creation of the International North-South Transport Corridor was signed by Russia, India and Iran in 2000, with several other countries joining it later. Moscow ratified the document in 2022. The project is aimed at ensuring the transit of cargo from India, Iran and Persian Gulf countries through Russian territory to Europe.