Category: INSTC

Iran inaugurates railway linking Caspian Sea to Persian Gulf

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) sees another critical rail puzzle piece taking its place. The Qazvin-Rasht rail link will be inaugurated on Thursday, 20 June in the presence of Iranian, Russian and Azerbaijani delegates. This short (37 kilometres) but critical piece of infrastructure will provide seamless railway connections between Caspian Sea ports and the…

INSTC takes up role as energy corridor: Russian coal to head to India

Russia is planning to ship coal to India along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). India has long been interested in establishing trade with Russia along the corridor, and cooperated with Iran for that purpose. The collaboration is now bearing fruit, as the INSTC is taking up its role as an energy corridor between Russia…

Tajikistan looking for 7,5 billion dollars in funding for rail

Tajikistan seems to be hopping onto the bandwagon for rail infrastructure in Central Asia. The country is looking for 7,5 billion dollars (7 billion euros) in investments for its rail network. The Tajik rail infrastructure is underdeveloped yet crucial for the country’s international trade. At an economic forum in the Russian city of Kazan, the…

New government setup is supposed to enhance Russian rail

Russia is shuffling its government leadership for the transport sector in order to streamline the development of the country’s transport and logistics. Alongside the traditional transport minister, Russia will now also have former transport minister Vitaly Savelyev as the new deputy Prime Minister for Transport. The two will prioritise the development of the “Eastern Polygon”…

Development of INSTC proceeds with Rasht – Astara and Azeri terminal

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is taking another step forward in its development. Russia and Iran are moving forward with the realisation of the Rasht – Astara railway and Azerbaijan has laid the foundations for freight transportation with a new cargo terminal. The conclusion of an agreement between Russia and Iran on the Rasht…

Iran and India overcome key hurdle for Chabahar’s INSTC port operation

Iran and India have signed an agreement that will enable the purchase of cargo handling equipment for the port of Chabahar. The port, located in the south of Iran and a key node of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), is operated by India. The question of cargo handling equipment has stalled operations at the…

Russia and Iran finalising Rasht-Astara agreement

Russia and Iran are reportedly finalising an agreement for the Rasht-Astara railway. The line in northern Iran is a crucial missing piece for the western branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). According to the agreement, Russia will bear the brunt of the costs. A meeting between the Iranian ambassador in Russia and a…

Russia hoping to use INSTC to evade sanctions, says think tank

According to the US-based think tank The Jamestown Foundation, Russia hopes to use the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) as a way to evade Western sanctions. The development of the corridor allows Russia to gain more open access to non-Western markets. Those could provide Russia with much-needed goods for its war economy. The INSTC is […]

Rail freight volumes between Iran and Azerbaijan grow by 28%

Rail freight volumes between Iran and Azerbaijan have grown by 28 per cent over an 11-month period. Between March 2023 and February 2024, approximately 645,000 tonnes of goods were transported via rail between the two countries. The director of Iran’s North Railway Administration stated that rail freight volumes between Iran and Azerbaijan grew by 28 […]