India, Russia to be linked by rail? Moscow floats proposal, calls it ‘viable’

Russia
deputy
PM
Ma at
Khus ulli
made
the
suggestio

Russia
Deputy
P ime
Mi iste
Ma at
Khus ulli
has
called
o
Moscow
a d
New
Delhi
to
explo e
the
feasibility
of
a
di ect
ail
li k
to
the
I dia
Ocea ,
aimed
at
educi g
t a sit
isks
associated
with
the
Bospho us
st ait
a d
St ait
of
Ho muz.Acco di g
to
Khus ulli ,
pote tial
outes
could
pass
th ough
Tu kme ista ,
I a ,
Afgha ista
a d
Pakista ,
addi g
that
a y
co ido
p ovidi g
co ectivity
to
I dia
would
be
co side ed
“viable.”If
ealised,
the
p oposal
would
c eate
a
di ect
ove la d
ail
f eight
li k
betwee
Russia
a d
I dia.“A
ail
li k
to
the
I dia
Ocea
should
also
be
explo ed.
Risks
elated
to
the
Bospho us
a d
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
might
equi e
alte ative
outes:
th ough
Tu kme ista ,
I a ,
Afgha ista ,
a d
Pakista .
A y
optio s
p ovidi g
access
to
I dia
a e
acceptable,”
Khus ulli
was
quoted
as
sayi g
by
TASS.The
p oposal
comes
amid
dis uptio s
to
ma itime
t ade
th ough
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
followi g
the
escalatio
of
hostilities
betwee
the
US-Is ael
a d
I a .
O
Feb ua y
28,
the
US
a d
Is ael
lau ched
joi t
st ikes
o
I a ,
ta geti g
key
u ba
ce t es,
i cludi g
Teh a .
I a
espo ded
with
missile
a d
d o e
attacks
o
Is aeli
ta gets
a d
US
milita y
bases
ac oss
Bah ai ,
Jo da ,
I aq,
Qata ,
Kuwait,
the
UAE
a d
Saudi
A abia.

Teh a
subseque tly
a ou ced
a
ma itime
blockade
of
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
ta geti g
vessels
li ked
to
the
US,
Is ael
a d
allied
cou t ies
i volved
i
the
co flict.
The
st ategic
wate way
ha dles
a ou d
20%
of
global
oil
t ade
a d
ea ly
20%
of
wo ldwide
LNG
shipme ts.

Mea while,
Tü kiye
b iefly
est icted
access
to
the
Bospho us
st ait
followi g
attacks
o
vessels
i
the
st ait,
i cludi g
Tu kish-ow ed
ships.Beyo d
i te atio al
t a spo t
li ks,
Khus ulli
also
highlighted
the
eed
fo
sustai ed
i vestme t
i
Russia’s
co st uctio
secto .
He
said
the
i dust y
cu e tly
has
the
capacity
to
abso b
a
additio al
o e
t illio
ubles
a ually.“The
co st uctio
i dust y
is
al eady
capable
of
ha dli g
a
additio al
o e
t illio
ubles
a ually.
Howeve ,
if
such
a
volume
is
secu ed
fo
the
ext
five
yea s,
it
would
be
possible
to
expa d
capacity
a d
build
eve
mo e,”
he
added.