The train from Russia: How a new route can change things for India
Russia has sent two trains laden with coal to India via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects Russia to India via Iran, according to Russia’s national railway company.
A multimodal route that includes a railway, roadway network and seaports, the INSTC spans 7,200km (4,500 miles) from St. Petersburg to the port of Mumbai in India. The corridor is part of Russia’s push to find new transport routes in light of Western sanctions, which have forced it to shift trade flows from Europe to Asia and the Middle East, RT has reported. “For the first time, two trains with Kuzbass coal headed to India along the International North-South Transport Corridor. The trains set off from the Kemerovo region. They followed along the eastern branch of the INSTC through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas,” Russian Railways said on Monday in its Telegram channel, RT reported.
How INSTC can revolutionise India's trade
The development of the INSTC, which connects Russia to India through Iran's Chabahar port, means a lot for India's trade. 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.
Last month, India took over management of Iran's Chabahar Port for an initial 10-year period. The deal is a boost for the INSTC as the port will serve as a key node in the INSTC. It will change the face of
