Turan Research Center

In mid-May, Russia hosted the Russia-Afghanistan Business Forum as part of the Russia-Islamic World Economic Forum in Kazan. Russian and Taliban officials discussed developing transit routes to Afghanistan via Central Asia and Pakistan, as well as an additional route through Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea. Moscow has placed special emphasis on linking the Trans-Afghan Railway (still under construction) with the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), primarily to maintain connectivity to the Indian Ocean (Russia’s Pivot to Asia, May 20).

The event followed a Russian Supreme Court decision in early April that removed the Taliban from the Kremlin’s terrorist list, thus paving the way for official dealings with the de facto ruling government (seeEDM, November 13, 2024; The Moscow Times, April 17). The decision was long in the making, as Russia has steadily increased engagement with Kabul since the militant group regained control in August 2021 (see EDM, July 29, 2024, January 15). Afghanistan’s prime position as a transit node for north-south trade has also led to increased engagement with the People’s Republic of China and Central Asia. Overall, Russia’s decision is driven by a mixture of security and connectivity issues. Moscow hopes not only to maintain the dominance of north-south transit routes but also to ensure that those routes remain secure from possible sabotage.

Read more on the Jamestown Foundation.

Emil Avdaliani is a research fellow at the Turan Research Center.