Political Aspects of the Development of Eurasian Transit Corridors: International Relations, Transport Policy, and Geopolitics
Political Aspects of the Development of Eurasian Transit Corridors: International Relations, Transport Policy, and Geopolitics

Summary/Abstract: The development of transit corridors across Eurasia constitutes a sophisticated and multi-dimensional political strategy that transcends mere logistical considerations, encompassing international diplomacy, economic rivalry, regional integration, and complex geopolitical maneuvering. Key initiatives—namely China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the India–Iran–Russia-led International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), and the European Union’s TRACECA project— represent competing paradigms for shaping the evolving global order and spheres of influence. Strategically positioned countries at critical transit junctions, particularly Azerbaijan and Turkey, adeptly leverage their geographic advantages through comprehensive infrastructure investments and agile, multi-vector diplomatic engagements, thereby converting transit potential into potent political and economic capital. The imposition of sanctions on Russia and Iran has acted as a catalyst for significant reconfiguration in logistical flows, expediting the diversification of transit routes and precipitating a broader geopolitical realignment throughout Eurasia. The future viability and expansion of these corridors depend fundamentally on states’ abilities to institutionalize effective governance frameworks, enhance transport security, diversify transit pathways, and harmonize national sovereignty with the demands of regional and global integration. Within this dynamic landscape, logistics emerges not only as a vital economic facilitator but also as a pivotal instrument of state resilience, geopolitical contestation, and strategic influence—both mirroring and actively shaping the transformative contours of 21st-century global affairs.

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