India
India📌 Why in News?
India's Central Asia ambitions are limited primarily by connectivity.
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multimodal network connecting India with Iran, the Caspian region, Russia, Central Asia and ultimately European markets. Goods can move from Indian ports towards Iran and then through rail, road and maritime routes towards Eurasia.
Syllabus & Relevance
Paper: GS-2
Theme: International Relations
Static Foundation
Iran's Chabahar Port, particularly the Shahid Beheshti terminal, provides India a route towards Afghanistan and Central Asia that bypasses Pakistan.
India joined the Ashgabat Agreement in 2018.
The agreement seeks to create an international transport and transit corridor connecting Central Asia with the Persian Gulf and related transport networks.
For Prelims remember: Chabahar + INSTC + Ashgabat Agreement = India's attempt to overcome its land-connectivity disadvantage with Central Asia.
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