India, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan Connected by New Cargo Train Service
Container trains have recently begun operating from India to Kazakhstan, passing through Uzbekistan, as reported by the press service of “Uztemiryulcontainer.”
This new route was established in cooperation with “Uztemiryulcontainer,” a subsidiary of “Uzbekistan Railways,” as well as “Kedentransservice” and the Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan (TLCT). Covering a distance of 4,885 km, the journey involves 12 standard 20-foot containers traveling through four countries.
The sea portion of the journey, spanning 1,585 km, starts from India’s Mundra port and ends in Iran’s Bandar Abbas. From there, the containers are transferred to platforms and cross three borders — at Serakhs, Farab, and Keles — before arriving at Sorokovaya station in Astana.
Mirziyod Mirkhamidov, the newly appointed head of “Uztemiryulcontainer,” has revealed plans to establish regular freight train shipments along the India–Central Asia route. This initiative is expected to enhance trade relations and provide new opportunities for exporters and importers.
In August 2024, “Uztemiryulcontainer” introduced multimodal shipments from India to Uzbekistan. A freight train carrying 20 containers traveled from Mundra via Bandar Abbas to Sergeli station in just 20 days, with plans to further reduce the transit time to 15 days.
Notably, in the spring of 2022, India sent cargo to Uzbekistan for the first time via Pakistan and Afghanistan. The shipment was transported by sea from Mumbai to Karachi and then delivered by truck across two borders to reach its final destination.
These developments signify the increasing connectivity and efficiency in freight transport between India and Central Asian countries, further facilitating international trade and economic cooperation.
