MOSCOW – Russia should explore the possibility of building a railway link to the Indian Ocean as a strategic alternative in the event of disruptions to transit through the Bosphorus or the Strait of Hormuz. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin made the statement in an interview with the TASS news agency.
According to Khusnullin, both maritime straits represent significant logistical hubs whose potential instability could negatively impact trade flows between Russia and the countries of South Asia. For this reason, he argued, it is necessary to seek new transport corridors that would ensure the continuity of international freight.
"In the event of risks at the Bosphorus and Hormuz, alternative routes may be needed: through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Any option that leads to India is suitable," Khusnullin said.
The proposed railway corridor could connect Russia with ports on the Indian Ocean coast and offer an alternative to traditional maritime routes. At the same time, it could strengthen trade ties between Russia and the states of Central and South Asia, particularly with India, which is among Moscow's significant trading partners.
The project would, however, face a number of challenges. The route would pass through several countries with varying levels of infrastructure and security conditions. The greatest complications are posed in particular by Afghanistan, where long-term political and security instability persists. The realisation of such a railway link would therefore require extensive international cooperation, substantial investment, and long-term political agreements.
The idea of developing alternative transport corridors fits into Russia's broader strategy of diversifying logistics routes and reducing dependence on traditional maritime pathways. In recent years, Moscow has been promoting the development of overland connections heading south and east, particularly in connection with the expansion of trade relations with Asian countries.
A potential railway connection to the Indian Ocean could, according to experts, contribute in the future to shorter transit times for a portion of freight traffic and increase the resilience of trade routes against geopolitical risks. Whether the project will succeed in moving from the level of strategic deliberation to concrete implementation will depend on its economic viability as well as on the evolution of the security situation in the region.
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