India and Russia are stepping up efforts to deepen bilateral trade and connectivity following agreements signed at the Indian-Russian trade forum last month, with a strong focus on transport links, port infrastructure and maritime corridors. The two countries aim to raise bilateral trade to US$100 billion by 2030, up around 40% from current levels.
Key initiatives include upgrades to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the East Maritime Corridor (EMC) linking Vladivostok and Chennai, alongside alignment of India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 with Russia’s transport strategy. India’s port expansion plans, supported by a broader US$1 trillion infrastructure programme, are expected to enhance capacity, efficiency and multimodal logistics.
Analysts estimate container traffic on the INSTC could reach up to 662,000 TEUs by 2030, while projects such as the Vizhinjam deepwater port, with a planned capacity of 5 million TEUs, highlight India’s ambitions as a regional maritime hub. The EMC is also being positioned as a wider regional route, with discussions underway to include Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia as intermediate stops.
Officials and analysts say the success of these initiatives will depend not only on infrastructure investment, but also on operational efficiency, digitalisation and sustainable planning, as India and Russia seek to strengthen their role in future global sea trade.