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Russia wants a new rail corridor to India that reduces dependence on vulnerable maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bosphorus. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin has floated routes through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. But that last country creates the biggest problem for New Delhi. India-Pakistan land trade remains virtually frozen and the Attari-Wagah trade route is shut. Add Afghanistan’s security challenges, sanctions pressure around Iran and incomplete rail infrastructure, and Moscow’s “direct” India route starts looking far more complicated. In this video, we break down Russia’s proposal, the Pakistan roadblock, Chabahar, INSTC and why India increasingly needs several competing trade corridors rather than one geopolitical lifeline.