ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 19. Turkmenistan and Russia’s Astrakhan region discussed the development of the “North-South” international transport corridor, Trend reports via the Astrakhan regional Ministry of External Relations.
The talks were held during a meeting between Turkmenistan’s Consul in Astrakhan Gadam Ilamanov and Astrakhan’s Minister of External Affairs Vladimir Golovkov.
They also noted the cooperation between Astrakhan ports and Turkmenbashi Port, shipbuilding and ship-repair enterprises, as well as intermunicipal cooperation between the twin cities of Astrakhan and Turkmenbashi.
During the conversation, the sides confirmed their mutual commitment to strengthening bilateral ties. The parties also discussed preparations for the upcoming session of the Astrakhan-Turkmen joint council on entrepreneurship.
Cooperation between the Astrakhan Region and Turkmenistan has been developing systematically since the late 2000s, after the signing of an intergovernmental agreement on trade-economic, scientific, and cultural cooperation in 2008.
A major boost came with the opening of Turkmenistan’s consulate in Astrakhan in 2013 and the subsequent expansion of transport and port interaction across the Caspian Sea. In recent years, ties have deepened through cooperation between Astrakhan ports and the port of Turkmenbashi, joint shipbuilding and ship-repair projects, and coordination within the framework of the international transport corridor North-South Transport Corridor.
Earlier, in January 2026, Russia’s Makhachkala Seaport also expressed its willingness to strengthen cooperation with Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan in 2026 to redirect Chinese cargo flows to the Trans-Caspian route.
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200 km multimodal network of ship, rail, and road routes facilitating freight movement between India, Iran, Russia, and Europe. It provides a 40% shorter and 30% cheaper alternative to traditional routes like the Suez Canal, cutting transit times from 45-60 days to 20-25 days. Initially established by India, Iran, and Russia in 2000, the corridor now includes several countries, including Azerbaijan and Türkiye. It links the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, extending to St. Petersburg and Northern Europe through Russia. The INSTC aims to enhance trade connectivity and logistical efficiency, particularly for containerized, grain, and textile shipments.
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