Russia has proposed examining an overland railway connection to India as it searches for alternatives to maritime trade routes exposed to geopolitical disruption.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said Moscow should explore rail access to the Indian Ocean and India to reduce risks associated with the Strait of Hormuz and Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait.

Possible alignments mentioned by the Russian official could pass through countries including Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Why Russia Is Looking for Another Route

The Bosphorus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and ultimately the Mediterranean, making it important for Russian shipping. The Strait of Hormuz, meanwhile, is a critical route for global energy and cargo movements.

Conflict in West Asia and disruption around Hormuz have renewed interest in land-based corridors that could continue operating when shipping lanes are restricted.

For India, a functioning rail corridor could potentially reduce transit times for some categories of cargo and expand access to Russia and Central Asia. It could also complement existing efforts to improve connectivity through Iran and the International North–South Transport Corridor.

Proposal Remains at an Early Stage

The suggestion should not be presented as an approved India–Russia railway project. India has not announced an agreement accepting the proposed route, while no feasibility report, cost, funding arrangement or construction schedule has been made public.

A corridor passing through several countries would require extensive diplomatic agreements, customs coordination, security arrangements and solutions to railway-infrastructure differences.

The proposal nevertheless underlines India’s growing importance in Russia’s search for more resilient trade routes towards the Indian Ocean

The proposed Russia–India railway corridor has been marked through:

Russia → Turkmenistan → Iran → Afghanistan → Pakistan → India

Pakistan could become the biggest political and operational obstacle

However, Pakistan may not be essential to the final corridor.

Russia’s statement only suggested examining possible connections through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was not an approved route, and no detailed alignment, agreement, budget or construction schedule has been announced. TASS

Why the Pakistan route is risky

Pakistan could still benefit from transit fees, logistics investment and access to a larger regional market. Therefore, it may cooperate if Russia and other participating countries negotiate a protected multilateral transit agreement. But India is unlikely to treat this passage as dependable without durable political guarantees and restoration of cross-border trade.

More practical route for India

A safer alignment would bypass Pakistan:

Russia → Caspian region → Iran → Chabahar or another Iranian port → India by sea

This could connect with the International North–South Transport Corridor. Chabahar is particularly significant because it is outside the Strait of Hormuz and gives India access to Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia without travelling through Pakistan. Iran-related sanctions, financing and regional security would still remain concerns.