Russia wants a railway route to India amid the ongoing uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz and Bosphorus, its Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said. The link, if materialised, can open direct access to and fro Russia and India through a railway network.
During an interview with Russian news agency TASS, Khusnullin floated the idea of the network and wanted it to be explored. “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,” he said as quoted by the Russian news agency.
He added that the construction industry needs long-term financing. “The construction industry is already capable of handling an additional one trillion rubles annually. However, if such a volume is secured for the next five years, it would be possible to expand capacity and build even more,” he said.
Hormuz issue concern forย many
The Strait of Hormuz issue has troubled several nations after Iran’s repeated closure of the naval and maritime shipping route amidst the war against the US and Israel, which began in late February. Tehran has once again closed the Hormuz. It stated that it came in response to the US blockade on its ships and ports. The Hormuz has returned to its previous state and is under strict management of the forces, Iran’s joint military command said.
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Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that its forces are considering a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The Hormuz has been a key weapon of Iran in the war against the US and Israel. Of the total global oil trade, 25% transits through the Hormuz. Iran has blocked the Hormuz to vessels that are linked to the US, Israel and other nations, which Tehran claims have supported the two in the fight against Iran.
Recently, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that India successfully shielded consumers from supply disruptions triggered by the closure of the Hormuz. He claimed that New Delhi achieved it through diversified sourcing, expanded refining capacity and higher domestic production.
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