International North-South Transport Corridor

International North-South Transport Corridor.

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multimodal transport network (maritime, rail, road) formed by Iran, Russia, India, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman and Syria.

1. Bulgaria is an observer country
2. Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are not members, but are located in the corridor's area of influence
3. Pakistan is considering joining the International North-South Transport Corridor (despite the tense relations with India)

The International North-South Transport Corridor connects with the New Silk Road.

1. Main cities: Mumbai, Moscow, Tehran, Baku, Bandar Abbas, Astrakhan, Bandar Anzali
2. According to the Association of the Federation of Freight Forwarders of India, the cost of sending goods by the route of the North-South International Transport Corridor is 30% cheaper and 40% shorter than the traditional route (by sea, through the Canal Suez, 45-60 days).
3. Estimated time Russia-India when the corridor is fully operational: 16-21
4. India will avoid passing through Pakistan to access the markets of Central Eurasia
5. For India it is a highly strategic project to offset the growing influence of China in the region (New Silk Road)

The corridor project was created in 2000 by Iran, Russia and India with the aim of promoting cooperation between logistics networks in India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia.

The International North-South Transport Corridor was subsequently expanded to include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman and Syria.

The International North-South Transport Corridor considerably improves access to the landlocked Central Asian republics

International North-South Transportation Corridor Route

The corridor starts in Mumbai (India), connecting by sea with the port city of Bandar Abbas (southern coast of Iran, Persian Gulf, Hormuz Strait, 85% of the Iranian maritime trade). Then it connects by road with the port of Bandar-e-Anzali (Iran) located in the Caspian Sea.

From Bandar-e-Anzali by ship across the Caspian Sea, Astrakhan (Russia) is reached on the banks of the Volga River. From Astrakhan it links with Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other Russian regions and Europe through the Russian railway network.

Railway Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran (North-South Transnational Corridor)

1. Distance: 677 km
2. It connects Kazakhstan (Uzen Uzen, 137 km) and Turkmenistan (Bereket - Etrek, 470 km) with Iran (Gorgan, Golestan, 70 km) and to the Persian Gulf by another railway
3. Bereket (Turkmenistan) is an important railway node. Access to:
   1. Trans-Caspian Railway (Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and eastern Kazakhstan)
   2. North-South Transnational Railroad
4. Operating since 2014

South Armenia-Iran Railway / North-South Railway Corridor (in project)

1. This section in project is crucial for the International North-South Transport Corridor
2. It would be the shortest transport route from the Black Sea ports to the ports of the Persian Gulf.
3. Distance: 316 km
4. Route: Gavar (50 km east of Yerevan - Armenia), near Lake Sevan, Gagarin, Agarak, Iranian border (Meghri)

Port of Astara (Iran)

1. The Port of Astara (Iran) is in the southwest of the Caspian Sea
2. Objective: to improve maritime traffic through the Caspian Sea
3. Creation: 2013
4. The port will allow the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to export their cereals to Africa, through the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas
5. Access to the interior of Iran for products from Russia
6. Access of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan to India through the Bandar Abbas port of Iran

Trans-Iranian Channel (Caspian Sea-Indian Ocean)

1. Project to build a canal from the Caspian Sea to the Indian Ocean

Route in Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijan route of the International Transport Corridor North-South allows connecting India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan. Iran rebuilt in 2016 the branch of the Qazvin-Rasht-Astara railway (205 km).

Asian regional economic communities related to the International North-South Transport Corridor

1. Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Programme (CAREC): Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Iran is an observer country.
2. Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia
3. Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO): Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
4. Commonwealth of Independent States (CEI): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
5. Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey
6. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
7. Regional Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM): Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
8. Organization for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD): Azerbaijan, Albania, Afghanistan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, North Korea, South Korea, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Czech Republic and Estonia.
9. Asian Clearing Union (ACU): Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Myanmar, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
10. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Georgia, the Holy See, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, San Marino, Turkey, Ukraine
11. Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC): Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Belarus
12. EU Eastern Partnership (European Neighbourhood Policy): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
13. European Union-South Caucasus Relations: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
14. Black Sea Synergy: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.
15. Russia is a member of:
    1. European Union-Russia
    2. Council of the Baltic Sea States (Belarus and Ukraine are observers)
    3. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
16. India and Russia are members of the Africa-BRICS Cooperation
17. Iran, Oman and India are members of the Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
18. Belarus and Ukraine belong to the Central European Initiative (CEI)
19. India is a member of:
    1. Bay of Bengal Initiative (BIMSTEC)
    2. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
    3. Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)
    4. South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)
20. Oman is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Free Trade Agreements related to the Countries of the corridor

1. Iran
   1. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) of Iran: Algeria, Armenia, Syria, Venezuela, Pakistan
2. Russia
   1. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) of Russia: ASEAN, European Union, Andean Community, Armenia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine
   2. Free Trade Agreement between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan
   3. Customs Union Russia-Vietnam
   4. Russia has a trade agreement with Cameroon
3. India
   1. Indian Free Trade Agreements: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, ASEAN, South Korea, European Union, New Zealand, Africa-India, Mauritius, Canada, Australia, Gulf Cooperation Council, SACU, EFTA, MERCOSUR, Andean Community...
4. Azerbaijan
   1. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with Russia, Ukraine and Georgia
   2. Free Trade Agreement between Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova
5. Armenia
   1. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) of Armenia with Georgia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Moldova, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan
6. Ukraine
   1. Free Trade Agreements of Ukraine with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the Kyrgyz Republic, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
   2. Ukraine-EU Association Agreement
7. Belarus
   1. Free Trade Agreement Russia-Belarus
   2. Free Trade Agreement Belarus-Ukraine
   3. Free Trade Agreement between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan
8. Oman
   1. United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
   2. Free Trade Agreements (as a member of the Cooperation Council of the Gulf) with the European Union, India, Australia, Singapore, Syria, European Free Trade Association (EFTA)...
9. Syria
   1. Cooperation agreement with the European Union
   2. Syria has free trade agreements (FTA) with Turkey, Iran, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Main Euro-Asian institutions related to the corridor

1. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
2. Asian Development Bank (ADB)
3. Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Major Islamic institutions related to the corridor

1. Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OCI)
2. Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

The main religions of the region of the International North-South Transport Corridor are:

1. Orthodoxy
2. Islam
3. Hinduism
4. Zoroastrianism
5. Jainism
6. Sikhism

The International North-South Transport Corridor belongs to the:

1. Central Eurasian Economic Area
2. Hindu Economic Area
3. Orthodox Economic Area

Related Corridors to the Silk Road

1. Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor
2. Asia-Africa Growth Corridor
3. Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor
4. China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor
5. Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey Transport Corridor (Lapis Lazuli)
6. China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor
7. Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Iran Transport Corridor (KTAI-ECO)
8. Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Rail and Road Corridor (ITI-ECO)
9. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
10. Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA)
11. Trans-Caspian Trade and Transit Corridor (Central Corridor)
12. Nanning-Singapore Economic Corridor

Trans-European Transport Network Corridors

1. North Sea-Baltic Transport Corridor
2. Atlantic Transport Corridor
3. North Sea-Mediterranean Transport Corridor

(c) EENI Global Business School (1995-2022)
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