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Armenia proposes Iran-Black Sea corridor to connect India with Russia and Europe
According to reports, the proposed corridor will aim to connect Mumbai with Bandar Abbas in Iran and then Armenia and onward to Europe or Russia, bypassing Azerbaijan.
- By Newsdesk
- New Delhi
- Mar 20, 2023
Armenia has proposed a Persian Gulf-Black sea corridor to India in order to make moving goods to Russia and Europe faster. The proposal was reportedly made during the visit of Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to India on 3rd and 4th March.
According to the media reports, the proposed corridor, which will run parallel to the International North-South Transportation Corridor (INSTC), is expected to connect Mumbai with the port city of Bandar Abbas in Iran and then Armenia and further onward to Russia or Europe. The corridor will bypass Azerbaijan with whom India does not enjoy god ties presently.
On the other hand, ties between India and Armenia have witnessed an upswing in recent years due to the growing purchase of Indian defence equipment.
The proposal for the Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor comes at a time when India is planning to look for additional routes to reach Europe, which is different from the Suez Canal and that which is not adversely impacted by the Russia-West confrontation.
India is getting goods on large scale from Russia through Iran. This corridor passing through Armenia, which shares strong political and business ties with Iran, will provide easy access to India.
Additionally, India’s trade with Moscow, through the INSTC, has increases substantially post the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. However, Azerbaijan is a key part of the INSTC which connects Mumbai with Russia via Iran and the Caspian Sea, but has been slow in completing its infrastructure projects, according to reports.
The Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor can prove to be a game changer for Armenia's economy as the country has reportedly sought investment from India for building the corridor in the Armenian territory.