Russia has dispatched two trains loaded with coal to India via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects Russia to India via Iran.
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
- The INSTC is a 7,200 km (4,500 miles) multimodal route that includes a network of railways, roadways, and seaports.
- At present, there are 13 Members of INSTC, and it is often called as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Significance of INSTC for India’s Trade
- INSTC has the potential to make Indian trade more cost-effective and accessible to Central Asia, Russia, Azerbaijan, and the Baltic and Nordic countries.
- The corridor is also seen as a viable alternative to the Suez Canal route, which handles around 20-25 percent of India's foreign trade but remains vulnerable to disruptions, as evidenced by the 2021 blockage and recent conflicts that affected trade through the Suez Canal.
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