Russia is considering the possibility of establishing a direct railway route connecting it to India. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said the route could, in the future, link Russia with the Indian Ocean while also offering India an overland route of access. He noted that given the world’s current heavy reliance on key maritime routes, there is a need to explore alternative pathways to reduce the risks associated with that dependence.
As part of this thinking, he said Russia could look at setting up a railway line that would pass through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan before reaching India. However, he clarified that this particular route is not fixed, and that Russia is open to considering any route that offers a viable path to India.
At present, this remains only a proposal. There has been no official announcement so far regarding the launch of a train service between Russia and India. Should this railway route materialise in the future, it would offer significant benefits to Russia as well, allowing it to move goods toward India via Central and South Asia by rail rather than relying entirely on sea routes.
This would also mark a significant development for India. It could pave the way for stronger overland transport links not just with Russia but with countries across Central and South Asia, particularly benefiting the movement of trade goods.
Beyond trade, if such rail connectivity is genuinely established in the future, it could also benefit the tourism sector. Currently, there is no facility for direct train travel between Russia and India. But should this kind of overland connection come into being, it could open the possibility for tourists to use the rail route as well.