Russia Considers Railway Route to Indian Ocean to Diversify Trade

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnulin has discussed the idea of starting a railway service from India to Russia. He has said that Russia should explore the possibility of building a railway route to the Indian Ocean. He said that this will reduce Russia's dependence on strategically sensitive sea routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bosphorus Strait. Khusnulin's statement comes amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has severely affected the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. In normal conditions, about a fifth of the world's energy supplies pass through this route. In a conversation with the Russian state news agency TASS on Thursday, Khusnulin said that the possibility of rail connectivity to the Indian Ocean should also be considered. He said that due to the risks associated with the Bosphorus and the Strait of Hormuz, alternative routes may be needed. He mentioned the routes passing through Turkmenistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Khusnulin has also said that providing access to the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf is acceptable to India.