Pakistan Joins INSTC, Seeks Gwadar-Russia Link for Enhanced Cooperation

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Energy, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, announced the country’s intention to join the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). This announcement was made during a keynote address at a webinar titled “Pakistan-Russia Bilateral Relationship at the cusp of shifting global order.” The INSTC is a 7,200-kilometre multimodal transit network designed for freight movement between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Northern Europe.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk welcomed this move, stating plans to connect the corridor with Pakistan’s Gwadar Port. This would provide a crucial link in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Leghari highlighted recent high-level meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as driving factors for diplomatic momentum.

Leghari also emphasized regular engagements with his counterpart, Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev, underlining the importance of the Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) in their bilateral relations. The minister noted that both countries agreed to sign a Program of Economic Cooperation until 2030 and discussed easing visa regimes through the signing of a Readmission Agreement.

This development underscores Pakistan’s strategic role in regional connectivity and its growing economic ties with Russia, which are expected to deepen over the next decade.