Malaysia and Global South Nations set to benefit from expanded North-South transport Corridor
From Baltic to Indian Ocean: Russia’s North-South Corridor opens doors for Malaysian trade
Malaysia, along with other Global South and Islamic world countries, stands to gain significantly from the expansion of the North-South International Transport Corridor (ITC), a major Eurasian infrastructure initiative set to reshape freight logistics from 2025 onwards, according to Bernama.
Russia’s upcoming five-year "Efficient Transport System" project aims to enhance the speed, volume, and reliability of freight movement, creating a seamless transport network linking Europe to South and Southeast Asia.
Key upgrades include modernising seaports, inland waterways, and border infrastructure, which could reduce freight inspections to just 10 minutes and boost overall capacity by 1.5 times.
A critical milestone is the construction of the Resht-Astara railway, completing a key missing link in the western route around the Caspian Sea. Backed by Russian financing, this section will connect Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran, streamlining cargo movement from Northern Europe to the Persian Gulf and South Asia, with full operations expected by 2028.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan and Russia have ratified a transit cooperation agreement, and discussions are underway for an alternative Imishli-Parsabad rail line, which could handle 30 million tonnes of cargo by 2030, including grain, metals, and petrochemicals.
The 7,200-km corridor offers major efficiency gains, slashing St. Petersburg-to-Mumbai delivery times from 30-45 days to just 10-20, with 30-40 per cent lower costs.
Photo: iStock
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Society06.09.26BRICS News Digest for the previous week
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![Vladimir Putin]()
Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia"We are developing mutual trade, which is growing; it increased by over 12 per cent last year. We have a joint commission working in this sphere. Our focus is on agriculture, shipbuilding, information technology and energy, including nuclear power. We have signed a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia. Jakarta is our reliable and old friend within ASEAN. We are working together at all international platforms, including the UN" -
![Vladimir Putin]()
Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia"More and more Iranian students are choosing Russian education. We are very pleased about this. A great many future doctors are studying in Russia. In the 2025–2026 academic year, the number of Iranian students in Russia approached 10,000, with 802 of them studying at the expense of the Russian state budget" -
![Xi Jinping]()
Xi JinpingPresident of the People’s Republic of China"The foundation of our bilateral relations will only grow stronger, and we will confidently move forward to a better future. […] The striving of nations on our planet for peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit remains unchanged. The vital mission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is to maintain stability and promote the development of our region" -
![Alisher Salomov]()
Alisher SalomovAdviser to the Chairman of the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan"First and foremost, I would like to highlight the importance of this Central Asia–Russia initiative, because environmental problems know no borders, and only a shared understanding of these problems and the search for joint solutions can deliver positive results" -
![Joao Paulo Capobianco]()
Joao Paulo CapobiancoBrazilian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change"The BRICS countries have a very high level of responsibility because they share an important part of the world's biodiversity, landscapes, populations, food production and water resources. So, we have an opportunity to lead by example. We have our development bank, which can demonstrate and develop new ways of financing programmes. We can reduce the risks for private capital to invest in restoration and efforts to combat desertification"
