Putin Seeks India Lifeline As War Threatens Trade Routes, Eyes Rail Corridor To Indian Ocean

Russian President Vladimir Putin could be looking towards India for a new trade lifeline as the Russia Ukraine war and tensions around key sea routes push Moscow to explore alternatives.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin has proposed examining a railway route towards the Indian Ocean, saying Russia should consider any option that can provide access to India. The proposal could eventually create another route for Russian goods to reach Asian markets.

The idea builds on the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which already connects Russia with India through Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Under the existing network, freight can move by rail from Russia through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan before reaching Iran. Goods can then be taken to ports such as Bandar Abbas and shipped to India. Routes through Afghanistan and Pakistan are also being discussed as possible alternatives.

But there is an important catch. This is not a direct Moscow to India train yet. There is no confirmed continuous railway, passenger service, construction schedule or launch date. For now, it remains a proposal focused mainly on freight and strategic connectivity.

So why is Moscow looking at it now? The answer lies partly at sea. The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy chokepoint, carrying roughly a fifth of seaborne oil and LNG trade. Disruptions there can quickly affect fuel supplies, shipping costs and markets.

The Bosphorus, meanwhile, is vital for trade moving through the Black Sea. A land route could give Russia another option if maritime corridors are disrupted by conflict, sanctions or geopolitical tensions.

The latest fighting adds urgency to that thinking. Ukraine's drone attack on Nizhnekamsk in Russia's Tatarstan killed 13 people, including a child, and injured dozens. Ukraine said it struck the TANECO oil refinery.

Earlier, overnight Russian and Ukrainian strikes killed seven people. Five were killed in Ukraine's drone attack on Russia's Belgorod region, while Russian strikes on Kharkiv killed two people.

For Russia, the railway proposal is also about infrastructure and construction spending. Khusnullin has said the construction sector needs sustained financial support, making major transport projects part of Moscow's wider economic push.