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High-level trilateral talks in Baku to boost North-South corridor
Amin Taraffo, head of the International Affairs Center at Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, said the meeting will be attended by Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadeq Malvajerd, as well as deputy prime ministers from Russia and Azerbaijan, IRNA reported.
“The one-day session, hosted by Azerbaijan’s capital, will focus on infrastructure projects that can boost development of the corridor’s western route,” Taraffo said.
“The discussions will cover all procedures needed for cross-border transit among the three countries — from facilitating movement and customs processes to increasing freight capacity.”
According to the official, the three countries aim to raise the volume of transit cargo to 15 million tons by 2030, which requires “a comprehensive roadmap” to achieve.
The INSTC is a multimodal network of sea, rail and road routes connecting India and the Persian Gulf to Russia, Central Asia and Northern Europe.
Launched in 2000 by India, Russia and Iran, the initiative seeks to create an integrated transport network that leverages the strategic positions of member countries, including Azerbaijan and Iran. The corridor is viewed as a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional routes such as the Suez Canal.