News: The Zangezur Corridor is in focus after Armenia’s Security Council Secretary visited New Delhi and held talks with India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval. Zangezur Corridor
About Zangezur Corridor
- The Zangezur Corridor is a planned transport route that connects Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan region by passing through the southern part of Armenia.
- It will link Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to Kars in Türkiye, going through Armenia near the Iranian border.
- The corridor includes railways and highways that were originally built during the Soviet Union period but were later destroyed due to war.
- This corridor will help Azerbaijan reach its Nakhchivan region without needing to go through Iran or checkpoints controlled by Armenia.
- It will allow smooth movement of goods, people, and vehicles between Azerbaijan, Nakhchivan, and Türkiye.
- It is also part of a larger project that connects Europe to Central Asia and China through road and railway networks.
India’s Strategic Concerns:
- India has invested heavily in the Chabahar Port in Iran and in Armenia. This gives India a multimodal route (sea + land) to reach the Black Sea and Europe, bypassing Pakistan and the Suez Canal.
- If the Zangezur Corridor opens without Armenian control, it may cut off Iran’s access to Armenia, and in turn, India’s land route to Europe through Armenia and Georgia.
