The Central Asia link

The first container on a multi-modal route from India to Kazakhstan left Mundra port on 4 March, with the help of Uztemiryulkontainer (Uzbekistan Railways).  As part of the expansion of transport corridors and the development of international transportation, the first container train from India to Kazakhstan was launched with the support of ‘Uztemiryulkonteyner’ JSC, TLCT OJSC and Kedentransservice JSC.

The cargo in the train included 12 twenty-ft containers (with ceramic tiles) and left Mundra port in Gujarat to Sorokovaya station in Kazakhstan. The route passes through Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, covering 1,585 km by sea and 4,300 km by rail. It would take about one month for the shipment to reach its destination.

“Earlier too, a container, headed from India to Uzbekistan (Mundra to Sergeli), had gone through the same route,” says M.K. Mirkhamidov, chairman, Board of Uztemiryulkonteyner. “Our company plans to regularly send container trains along the multi-modal corridor from India to Central Asia, which will strengthen trade ties and expand opportunities for exporters and importers of all these nations”.

Quicker, cost-effective transportation

This corridor makes transportation of goods quicker and more cost-effective. The other cargo companies involved in this include Kedentransservice (subsidiary of Kazakshta Temir Zholy of Kazakhstan) and Transport & Logistics Centre of Turkmenistan (TULM). In the past too, Uztemirylcontainer had taken cargo shipments from other Indian ports like Nhava Sheva and Chennai via Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and then transported by rail to Uzbekistan’s Sergeli station.

India’s economic ties with Central Asia have been limited, as many of the countries are land-locked with no direct sea route or a direct overland route (primarily due to the need to avoid Pakistan). At present, India’s trade with Central Asia is less than 0.5 per cent of its total trade, valued at $2 billion. In contrast, China’s trade with Central Asia is valued at $100 billion. Utilising more multi-modal trade routes will help India in increasing the trade exponentially. The new routes will go a long way in encouraging more goods to be shipped.