Seeks to reduce dependence on sensitive maritime chokepoints
Moscow/New Delhi: Russia needs to create a railway route to the Indian Ocean to reduce dependence on strategically sensitive maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and Bosphorus Strait, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin has said.
His comments came amid the conflict in West Asia, which has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s energy supplies pass in normal times.
“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: through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Any options providing access to India are acceptable,” Khusnullin told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency on Thursday.
While the Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, the Bosphorus Strait connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. Turkiye, which controls the Bosphorus Strait, has said it remains open amid heightened concerns.
The proposal comes as Russia faces growing Western pressure over its energy exports, with the US Senate on July 29 advancing legislation that could impose steep tariffs on countries, including India, that continue to buy Russian oil and gas.
The proposal could also have wider geopolitical implications, given its potential to pass through Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan and provide Russia with an alternative overland connection to the Indian Ocean.
News agency Reuters reported in July that Russian energy companies, including Rosneft, Gazprom Neft and Lukoil, had approached Indian refiners seeking additional petrol supplies after Ukrainian attacks knocked out a significant portion of Russia’s refining capacity. At the time, nearly 40 per cent of Russia’s refining capacity was expected to remain offline for at least two months if attacks continued.
The pressure on Russia’s fuel system has continued. It was reported that Russian seaborne oil product exports fell by about one-third in July as reduced fuel production following Ukrainian attacks was compounded by Russian export restrictions. Moscow extended a temporary ban on diesel exports through the end of August to protect domestic supplies.
Against this backdrop, growing disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have strengthened the case for alternative overland routes linking Russia with Asian markets. The strait connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a crucial route for global energy supplies.
Disruptions to shipping through the strait have raised concerns over oil and gas supplies, freight costs and energy security.
The conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has further exposed the vulnerability of maritime trade routes. Iranian authorities have restricted access to the strait for vessels linked to the US, Israel and its allies.
The Bosphorus presents another strategic vulnerability for Russia. The Turkish-controlled waterway connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and is a critical passage for Russian exports and other regional trade. Khusnullin’s proposal therefore reflects a larger Russian push to diversify transport routes rather than rely heavily on maritime corridors that can be affected by wars, sanctions or geopolitical disputes.
The proposed railway corridor is being considered against the backdrop of increasing pressure from the Donald Trump administration and the West. The US Senate has approved legislation to impose tougher penalties on Russia and countries that purchase its petroleum products, including major buyers such as India and China.
For Moscow, expanding overland connectivity could therefore serve more than one purpose. It could provide an alternative route for commercial goods, reduce exposure to maritime chokepoints and potentially make trade with Asian markets more resilient in the face of sanctions and shipping disruptions.
