International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): Potential, challenges, and prospects amid global shifts

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Despite significant growth in freight traffic in recent years and its strategic importance in the context of the global transformation of logistics, the INSTC remains inferior to traditional routes and realizes only a small portion of its potential. The development of the corridor is constrained by infrastructure limitations (differences in railway gauge, seasonality of navigation, and low capacity of certain sections); geopolitical risks and sanctions that restrict financing and the use of technologies; administrative and bureaucratic barriers that increase transit time and transportation costs; and environmental risks (pollution of the Caspian Sea ecosystem). The study emphasizes that unlocking the potential of the INSTC requires not isolated measures but systemic modernization across several dimensions: standardization, large-scale infrastructure investment, deep digitalization of processes, strengthened environmental responsibility, and the creation of effective mechanisms of interstate coordination. Successful implementation of the corridor is possible only through the consolidation of efforts by all participating countries, particularly within frameworks such as BRICS, and the attraction of substantial investment. Political will and readiness for compromise are recognized as no less important than financial resources. The INSTC remains a project with high ambitions, but its transformation into a competitive global transport artery depends on the ability of the parties to overcome current systemic constraints through coordinated international efforts and comprehensive modernization.