Ashgabat agreement

The Ashgabat agreement is a Multimodal transport agreement between Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan for creating an international transport and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.

In October 2016, Pakistan had formally joined the Ashgabat Agreement in addition to the Lapis Lazuli corridor, in a joint press conference with the Turkmenistan and Afghanistan President. Pakistan affirmed that "Regional connectivity, and economic integration are key pillars of Pakistan's foreign policy".

Objective

The objective of this agreement is to enhance connectivity within Eurasian region and synchronize it with other transport corridors within that region including the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Indian plans

Indian government on March 23, 2016 has requested approval for acceding to the agreement. India’s intention to accede to the Ashgabat Agreement would now be conveyed to the Depository State (Turkmenistan). India would become party to the Agreement upon consent of the founding members.

Connectivity

North–South Transport Corridor

For enhanced connectivity, the Ashgabat agreement will also synchronize with the International North–South Transport Corridor encompassing ship, rail including Trans-Caspian railway, and road route for moving freight between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia. The route primarily involves moving freight from India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia via ship, rail and road.

Eurasian Railway Connectivity

This agreement will also leverage the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan (TAT) rail line from 2013, Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey transportation corridor in 2014, Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan railroad and TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) comprising the EU and 14 Eastern European, South Caucasus and Central Asian states.

Hajigak–Chabahar railway

India is finalising a plan to construct a 900-km railway line that will connect Chabahar port in Iran, being built with Indian help, to the mineral-rich Hajigak region of Afghanistan.

See also

• Gwadar Port
• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
• Port of Chabahar
• Chabahar-Zaranj-Delaram-Hajigak railway: Indian-Iranian project, would link future Indian iron-ore mining operations at Hajigak to Chabahar, 900 kilometres away
• Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline
• Afghaistan rail network
• Rail transport in Afghanistan
• Rail transport in Kazakhstan
• Rail transport in India
• Rail transport in Iran
• Rail transport in Oman
• Rail transport in Tajikistan
• Rail transport in Turkmenistan
• Rail transport in Uzbekistan

References

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