International Corridor “North – South”: The Transport Project, or Big Geopolitics?

Abstract

The development of the International Transport Corridor “North-South”, designed to provide transport links both with African countries and with India, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, etc., began back in 2000. The implementation of the project in the current difficult geopolitical conditions turns it into a real alternative to the sea route connecting Europe, the countries of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal. The Chinese vision of the project focuses on the possibilities of connecting the One Belt and One Road initiative with the Russian-Iranian ITC, as well as the projects in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea zone. Russia is the main link of the North – South international transport corridor, which is moving from an applied transport and technological project into the category of Russian instruments of great geopolitics. The article analyzes the key transport, economic and international political aspects of the North – South project, including internal Russian and external South Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia), Caspian (Iranian), Indian and Chinese characteristics, optimization opportunities and options for further Russian regional integration on the Eurasian continent.