NEW DELHI, June 27. /TASS/. As Russia has sent first two trains laden with coal to India via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) through the territory of Central Asian countries and Iran, a new stage of exploitation of this route, which is strategic for the South Asian republic, is beginning, The Economic Times newspaper said in an article headed 'The train from Russia: How a new route can change things for India.'
The INSTC corridor, which is being seen as an alternative to the Suez Canal trade route, opens up efficient access to Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, and the Baltic and Nordic countries, not just the 11 countries in Central Asia, for India, according to the publication.
The INSTC, which spans from St. Petersburg to the port of Mumbai, "can be a critical geostrategic tool India needs to enhance its trade footprints in Central Asia," the newspaper wrote. The development of the INSTC means a lot for India's trade, The Economic Times said. "Now that Russia faces restrictions on sea trade due to the Ukraine war, the corridor assumes even more economic and strategic importance, especially when India sees it as an alternative to China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative," the paper said.
The multimodal transport corridor North-South, which includes a railway, roadway network and seaports, is becoming particularly important for ensuring India’s energy security in an environment when it boosts imports from Russia of coking, metal and steam coal, as well as increases energy purchases in Central Asian countries, the publication said.
On June 24, the press service of Russian Railways said that two trains carrying coal had set off from the Kemerovo region heading to India along the International North-South Transport Corridor. They followed along the eastern branch of the INSTC through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, from which coal will be delivered to India’s Mumbai.
An intergovernmental agreement on the creation of the multimodal transport corridor North-South spanning 7,200 km was signed by Russia, India and Iran in 2000. Later, the number of participants rose to 14. The project is aimed at attracting transit of cargo flows from India, Iran and the Persian Gulf countries through Russian territory to Europe. Currently the project unites several various transport systems of separate countries.