Why is Russia proposing a rail link to India? WION Decodes its impact on trade of both countries

Russia is contemplating a railway link to the Indian Ocean and India. In an interview with TASS news agency, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said, “A rail link to the Indian Ocean should also be explored. Risks related to the Bosphorus and the Strait of Hormuz might require alternative routes.

He said that the potential routes could pass through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and that any corridor providing connectivity to India would be considered “viable.”

The proposal comes amid disruptions to maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz following the West Asia conflict.

But why is Russia proposing to open a rail link to India?

• Russian trade with India currently depends heavily on maritime routes. The proposed rail route aims to reduce dependence on the key waterways Bosphorus and Strait of Hormuz, which can be impacted by geopolitical crises
• A rail route gives Moscow alternate route to reach markets in India and the wider Global South without facing major Western sanctions and shipping, logistics constraints it has been subjected too since 2022, after it launched an attack on Ukraine. This will reduce Russia's dependence on Western-controlled maritime infrastructure to a large extent
• India and Russia's commitment to expanding transport links and increasing cargo movement through the INSTC requires reducing transportation time and cost
• A rail corridor is going to help Russia build stronger economic connections with Iran, Central Asia and South Asia. It will connect Russian producers to Indian consumers and create new logistics hubs along the way
• So, in simple terms Russia wants a "land bridge" to India so that if shipping through the Hormuz and Bosphorus becomes expensive, dangerous or politically complicated, it has an alternative to ship Russian goods to the Indian Ocean

Though the proposal appears to be a solution, building the rail link would not be easy due to severe geopolitical challenges, given the security situation in Afghanistan and the complex regional relationships among the countries involved.