Pakistan plans to join INSTC, eyes Gwadar link with Russia

Pakistan plans to join the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), with Russia backing a link between the trade route and Gwadar Port as both countries move to deepen economic and strategic cooperation through a new partnership framework extending to 2030.

This was disclosed by Federal Minister for Energy, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, while delivering a keynote address at Webinar-1, titled “Pakistan-Russia Bilateral Relationship at the cusp of shifting global order,” highlighting a highly positive and pragmatic trajectory in bilateral relations over the past two decades.

A key focus of the address was regional connectivity, with Pakistan signalling its intent to join the INSTC, read an official statement.

The INSTC is a 7,200-kilometre multimodal transit network combining ship, rail, and road routes designed to move freight between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Northern Europe.

During the webinar, Leghari welcomed the statement by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk regarding connecting the INSTC with Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which would bridge a crucial link in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Addressing the structural transformations in global politics, the minister noted that residual distrust from the Soviet era has faded, elevating the partnership from an “unfriendly country” to a “trusted friend” across sectors, including trade, energy, defence, and technology.

This diplomatic momentum is driven by high-level leadership, underscored by four recent meetings between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said.

As Co-Chairman of the Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), the minister emphasised regular engagements with his counterpart, Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev, describing the IGC as the foundation of their multi-faceted ties.

Bilateral cooperation has expanded through structured frameworks, including consultations on security, strategic stability, and counter-terrorism, alongside mutual alignment at the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to advocate for an inclusive, multipolar international order, he said.

Leghari also highlighted that Russian leadership has praised Pakistan’s recent diplomatic role in mitigating conflicts between Iran and the United States, further validating President Putin’s acknowledgement of Pakistan as a genuine global stakeholder.

To unlock the substantial potential for bilateral trade and address structural hurdles like payment mechanisms, both nations have agreed to sign the Program of Economic Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Pakistan for the Period until 2030, he said.

Furthermore, the recent signing of the long-pending Russia-Pakistan Readmission Agreement in Bishkek will ease visa regimes, facilitating business travel and people-to-people exchanges.

Concluding his remarks, Leghari reiterated that Pakistan-Russia relations are a vital component of broader Eurasian economic integration and regional stability.