The Eurasian continent provides the most important land connection between Europe and the Far East. The transportation networks on this continent are mostly developed within the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) between India and Russia. It can be argued that cooperation and competition are simultaneously taking place within these west-east and north-south corridors.
Recently, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for the creation of alternative transportation and shipping routes and the diversification of supply chains.[1] Within the framework of INSTC, the development of routes passing through the east of the Caspian Sea is frequently on the agenda. In this context, it is observed that cooperation between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan has also developing.
In the context of the Middle Corridor, construction continues on the railway line extending from China through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan to Afghanistan. In addition, it is very important to develop connections in Afghanistan and Pakistan within the framework of both INSTC and the Belt and Road Initiative. In this context, the construction of the Turgundi-Herat railway in Afghanistan and increasing the flow of goods to China via Turgundi are also on the agenda. In addition, Pakistan, with the support of Russia, has expressed its readiness to join the INSTC.[2]
Currently, Pakistan hosts CPEC, one of the largest and most significant corridors of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Since this corridor normally passes through the Kashmir region, it has also been effective in the deterioration of Pakistan’s relations with India in recent years. Therefore, it can be interpreted that Pakistan wants to join INSTC in order to improve its connections with Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. This move could offer great opportunities for economic growth and regional cooperation for Pakistan. Instead of just receiving infrastructure investments and financial support from China, Pakistan can diversify its trade routes within the framework of INSTC, reduce its dependence on traditional routes and enhance its connections with Europe and Central Asia. Establishing new connections with Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia could significantly reduce Pakistan’s transportation costs and transit times. This participation will also allow Pakistan to access new markets and thus increase its exports.
Due to the influence of geopolitical competition, Pakistan has been cautious in developing transportation routes with its neighboring states. For example, the underdevelopment of railway connections with Iran and Afghanistan can be attributed to this caution. Similarly, the biggest geopolitical obstacle for India to establish and develop transportation connections with Afghanistan appears to be Pakistan. The emergence of the INSTC might even be related to this obstacle. India aims to use the Iran-Afghanistan line to reach Central Asia within the scope of INSTC. Expanding connections in Iran towards Turkmenistan and Pakistan would also help India extend its reach in Eurasia. It would be highly rational, pragmatic, and positive for Pakistan to set aside geopolitical rivalries and focus on its national interests by pursuing goals such as economic growth, trade development, and development, and to participate in alternative transportation corridors beyond CPEC.
In this regard, it is crucial for actors in Eurasia, including Iran and Pakistan, to view participation in different transportation corridors not as a competitive element but as a means of developing connections and achieving economic gains. For example, Iran constitutes the southern route in the westward corridor of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Despite ongoing instability in Iraq and Syria and high geopolitical risks in Iran, China supports the development of the southern corridor in the long term. Iran also plays a critical role within the INSTC framework. Iran, which hosts the west-east and north-south corridors, supports both projects. Central Asian states also follow a similar policy. Specifically, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are focused on developing both China’s Middle Corridor and the eastern corridor of the INSTC.
It can be said that Afghanistan and Pakistan hold very significant position in the north-south connections of the Central Asian countries. These actors have recently preferred to develop their connections with Afghanistan and Pakistan instead of relying largerly on Iran to access to the Indian Ocean. In this context, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are actively working to develop the eastern section within the framework of INSTC, which facilitates the transit of goods to Pakistan and from there to India.[3] Therefore, Pakistan’s interest in multi-modal transportation projects, taking into account geoeconomic obligations, is a promising development for strengthening connections in Eurasia.
Participation in the INSTC could also elevate Pakistan’s geopolitical position, turning it into an important transit hub in the region. In July 2024, Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran and Turkmenistan signed a road map for the synchronized development of the INSTC.[4] Here it was also decided to develop the western branch of the Trans-Afghan railway, that is, the route passing through Iran. Including Pakistan in this geopolitical equation, which also includes Afghanistan under Taliban rule, would be a very strategic step in the medium and long term.
One of the most important elements that can strengthen existing and potential cooperation in Eurasia is transportation corridors. In this field, actors who prefer a win-win approach instead of acting with the logic of geopolitical competition can achieve economic gains as well as establish influence in regional and global arenas. As a result, west-east and north-south corridors can turn into the most critical elements supporting cooperation in Eurasia in the long term. Pakistan’s ability to take part in both the CPEC and INSTC projects can be considered the most recent and concrete example of this.
[1] “Alternative Transport Routes in Kazakhstan: Potential and Current Opportunities”, Timesca, https://timesca.com/alternative-transport-routes-in-kazakhstan-potential-and-current-opportunities/, (Accessed: 13.08.2024).
[2] “Pakistan’s strategic move: Joining the International North-South Transport Corridor”, News Az, https://news.az/news/pakistans-strategic-move-joining-the-international-north-south-transport-corridor, (Accessed: 13.08.2024).
[3] “Казахстан и Туркменистан заинтересованы в развитии восточного сегмента МТК Север-Юг”, Trend Az, https://www.trend.az/casia/kazakhstan/3932875.html, (Accessed: 13.08.2024).
[4] “Pakistan’s strategic move: Joining the International North-South Transport Corridor”, a.g.e., (Accessed: 13.08.2024).
