Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan discuss possible transport corridor to India & West Asia

Two Central Asian states Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan along with Afghanistan have agreed to enhance transit and transport infrastructure in Afghanistan at a trilateral meeting last week between Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, Director General of the Transport and Communications Agency under Turkmenistan’s Cabinet of Ministers Mammetkhan Chakyev, and Afghan Minister of Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi in Kabul.

At the meeting Zhumangarin emphasized the need for calculations and reorientation of traffic flows, highlighting upcoming infrastructure development initiatives. The idea of three sides is also to connect with India. This can be possible via Chabahar Port of Iran.

“All this will help develop the Turkmen infrastructure and ours at Beineu-Aktau-Bolashak,” he said.


The three sides noted that the eastern branch of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) had gained new impetus to become a key route for transporting goods from Russia and Belarus through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, India, and West Asia.

Following the negotiations, they agreed to establish a working group to implement the agreements reached.

Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan route is one of the branches of INSTC.