Putin advances Rasht-Astara railway project & INSTC discussions during Baku visit

During his recent visit to Azerbaijan, Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on key infrastructure projects, including the Rasht-Astara railway and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), according to Russian presidential aide Igor Levitin.

Levitin detailed that Putin’s discussions emphasized the development of the Rasht-Astara railway segment, a crucial component of the INSTC's western branch. This project is set to facilitate the transport of 15 million metric tons of goods annually. Levitin shared these insights during a meeting in Moscow on Monday with Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Levitin also expressed his readiness to visit Tehran to engage with the new Iranian cabinet and advance joint economic projects.

Ambassador Jalali noted that in 2023, approximately 650,000 metric tons of commodities were transported from the eastern segment of the INSTC for the first time. Furthermore, the volume of goods transported via the Caspian Sea route increased to 10 million metric tons in 2023, up from 6 million metric tons in 2022.

Jalali highlighted that the western segment of the INSTC, which spans Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran, achieved a transportation volume of over 3 million metric tons in 2023. This figure represents a significant increase compared to previous years, where the maximum volume was between 1.5 to 2 million metric tons.

He also emphasized Iran’s commitment to strengthening ties with Russia, a focus that will intensify under the new Iranian administration.

The INSTC, which includes members and observers such as Iran, India, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman, Syria, and Bulgaria, aims to enhance connectivity and trade across the region. Azerbaijan became a member of the corridor in 2005.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's most recent visit to Baku was on August 18-19, 2024. During this visit, he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss various bilateral issues, including economic cooperation, regional security, and infrastructure projects such as the Rasht-Astara railway segment and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). This visit was part of Russia's broader efforts to strengthen its ties with Azerbaijan and other countries in the South Caucasus region.