Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
Chabahar Port, located on Iran's southeastern Makran coast on the Gulf of Oman, is India's gateway to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia — bypassing Pakistan entirely. It forms a critical node of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200 km multi-modal trade route linking India to Russia and Europe via Iran.
- INSTC initiated in September 2000 by India, Iran, and Russia.
- The corridor uses ship, rail, and road routes — Indian Ocean → Persian Gulf → Iran → Caspian Sea → Russia → Europe.
- First INSTC cargo run: June 2022, from Astrakhan (Russia) to Nhava Sheva (Navi Mumbai).
- INSTC is expected to reduce transport costs by 30% and transit time by 40% compared to the Suez Canal route.
- The 2024 Chabahar deal replaces earlier one-year rolling contracts; India's IPGL will invest $370 million in total infrastructure including strategic equipment.
● Tracked since March 01, 2026 · last seen March 09, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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