Asian Highway Network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asian_Highway_Network&pr...

Asian Highway Network

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Asian Highway (AH) project, also known as the

Great Asian Highway, is a cooperative project among
countries in Asia and Europe and the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP), to improve the highway systems in
Asia. It is one of the three pillars of Asian Land
Transport Infrastructure Development (ALTID) project,
endorsed by the ESCAP commission at its 48th session
in 1992, comprising Asian Highway, Trans-Asian
Railway (TAR) and facilitation of land transport
projects.

Agreements have been signed by 32 countries to allow

the highway to cross the continent and also reach to
Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway
project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Japan,
South Korea and Bangladesh.[1] A significant part of the
funding comes from the larger, more advanced nations
as well as international agencies such as the Asian
Development Bank.

The project aims to make maximum use of the

Map of the highways
continent's existing highways to avoid the construction
of newer ones, except in cases where missing routes
necessitate their construction. Project Monitor, an Asian
infrastructure news website, has commented that the:

early beneficiaries of the Asian Highway

“ project are the planners within the
national land transport department of the
participating countries [since] it assists
them in planning the most cost-effective
and efficient routes to promote domestic
and international trade. Non-coastal
areas, which are often negligible, are the
other beneficiaries.[1]
”
However, in the mid-2000s some transportation experts
were sceptical about the viability of the project given the
economic and political climate in both South and
South-East Asia.[1] Asian Highway 2 sign near Ratchaburi, Thailand

Contents
1 History
2 Implications
3 Regional perceptions of the project

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4 Highway 3 (North-South Corridor) issues

4.1 Highway 3 (North-South Corridor) missing link
4.2 Highway 3 (North-South Corridor) development issues
5 Routes
6 Numbering and signage
7 First car crossing
8 Route log
9 Distance by country
10 See also
11 References
12 External links

History
The AH project was initiated by the United Nations in 1959 with the aim of promoting the development of
international road transport in the region. During the first phase of the project (1960–1970) considerable
progress was achieved, however, progress slowed down when financial assistance was suspended in 1975.

ESCAP has conducted several projects in cooperation with AH member countries step by step after the
endorsement of ALTID in 1992.

The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network (IGA) was adopted on November 18,
2003, by the Intergovernmental Meeting; the IGA includes Annex I, which identifies 55 AH routes among
32 member countries totalling approximately 140,000 km (87,500 miles), and Annex II "Classification and
Design Standards". During the 60th session of the ESCAP Commission at Shanghai, China, in April 2004,
the IGA treaty was signed by 23 countries. By 2007, 28 countries were signatories, which subsequently rose
to 32 countries in 2008.[1]

Implications
India is hopeful that the mega project will continue to bring it and Pakistan closer, as a furtherance of the
earlier resumption of bus and train services between the two countries after decades of hostilities.[1]

The advanced highway network would provide for greater trade and social interactions between Asian
countries, including personal contacts, project capitalizations, connections of major container terminals with
transportation points, and promotion of tourism via the new roadways.[1]

However, rights groups in Southeast Asia monitoring the North-South Corridor segment were concerned
with the remote area's rapid development resulting in significant increases to exposure of HIV/AIDS, human
trafficking and the possible exploitation of the surrounding forests and wildlife resources.[2]

Regional perceptions of the project

According to Om Prakash, an advisor in New Delhi: "It's an excellent step taken by ESCAP to gather all the
Asian countries under one crown but the problem with this project is political disputes between some
countries, notably Pakistan and Myanmar, which is delaying the project".[1]

India views the project favourably since it would increase trade with its neighbours, especially Pakistan and
Myanmar.[1]

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Sanjoy Hazarika of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research commented: ""The [2003]
agreement between Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand needs to be considered by India
as an international link for trade, while retaining the presently designated AH route through Tamabil,
Bangladesh, and Imphal, India." As well, he also stated: "Given its extensive geographical coverage and
the recent move to integrate it with other means of transportation, the Asian Highway project requires
collective effort and close collaboration among the Asian countries."[1]

Highway 3 (North-South Corridor) issues

By mid-2008 the North-South Corridor segment of the Asian Highway, AH-3, was nearly fully paved, with
only a few kilometers incomplete.[2]

The North-South Corridor Project of has been part of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) agenda since
1993 and aimed to improved the connected economies of China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and
Cambodia. The portion of the North-South Corridor known as Highway 3, which runs through northwestern
Laos and connects China and Thailand, was expected to cost US$95.8 million and was being financed with a
loan from the ADB, along with funds from the Chinese, Thai and Lao governments.[2]

The completed sections of the road have gone from being little more than dirt roads a few years ago to
two-lane routes with concrete shoulders, drainage and concrete bridges. The journey from the Lao border
town of Huai Xai to the southwestern Chinese border village of Boten situated in southwestern Yunnan
province took as long as two days on the old mostly dirt road depending on weather conditions. The new
roadway shortened that trip to five to six hours.[2]

The route was expected to be completed in 2007, but damage to the road from floods during the 2006 rainy
season pushed the completion date into 2008. While the road was now made passable all year, there are still
sections, some of several kilometers in length, which remained unfinished as of 2008.[2]

Highway 3 (North-South Corridor) missing link

Construction of the Thai-built portion of the road lagged behind that of the Chinese section, but some
observers contend that was because the Thai section was "much better constructed". They indicated that the
Chinese side was built faster because of engineering shortcuts which may make that section of the road less
durable.[2]

The most significant problem with the corridor was the lack of progress on a bridge to be built across the
Mekong River connecting the Thai town of Chiang Khong, with its cross-border neighbour of Huay Xai in
Laos. The Chinese and Thai governments earlier agreed to build the bridge and share the estimated USD 33
million dollar cost of the project.[2]

The Thai cabinet approved the project in February 2007 with an expected completion date in 2011, but
many remain skeptical that the schedule will be met since successive Thai governments since the late 1980s
have similarly promised to undertake the project.[2]

Thai border disputes with Laos, the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, political indifference in Bangkok and a
general reluctance on the part of Thais have kept the project on the political 'back burner'. China meanwhile
is anxious to develop its land-locked Yunnan province through the creation of trade links with Southeast
Asia, including access to Thailand's sea ports. While Thailand may benefit broadly from a new road link with
China, others feared a flood of inexpensive Chinese products will impoverish northern Thais.[2]

Some of those fears came to pass with the early implementation of some provisions with the Chinese-Thai
free trade agreement, which resulted in a flood of inexpensive Chinese agricultural products. As of 2008, the

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last incomplete link to Laos represented a significant barrier to efficient trade between the two countries and
some commented that was the reason for Thai procrastination on the bridge's completion. Bangkok might
also have been using the bridge as a bargaining chip for trade negotiations with Beijing, since the Chinese
appeared to increasingly value the route's completion.[2]

Until the bridge's completion, the portion of the AH-3 North-South Corridor remains both incomplete and
inefficient. As of 2008, Chinese goods destined for Thailand had to be ferried across the Mekong River
between Chiang Khong and Huay Xai and many shippers have expressed their concerns that the ferry costs
and Lao customs duties were too expensive, and traders also complained about the lengthy time required for
Lao customs procedures and inspections.[2]

Although Laos was pressured to eliminate transit taxes, the cash-short government remained hesitant, in part
because China and Thailand were seen to benefit disproportionately from the completed roadway. Currently
almost all China-Thailand trade is conducted by shipping up and down the Mekong River, with goods taking
from 10 to 15 days to reach their destination.[2]

As of 2008 the water route were suffering from frequent problems of inadequate levels to keep large cargo
barges afloat, a situation which is likely to occur more frequently when more of China's planned dams on the
river's upper reaches become functional in the future. The economic benefits of the roadway to Laos,
meanwhile, are still undetermined.[2]

Highway 3 (North-South Corridor) development issues

While the AH-3 highway was expected to increase business and trade through increased market access to
both China and Thailand, including the country's agribusiness and tourism sectors, the Lao government
appeared more open to increasing state revenues through the collection of transit fees and taxes on goods
that arrived at its borders. It was also under pressure from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to
embed new costs into the already low intra-regional trade.[2]

According to people involved in the tourism industry in northwestern Laos, while Western tourists were
arriving in increasing numbers, tourists from neighbouring Thailand and China often pass only through Laos
on their way to Boten on the Chinese border, where there are a large casino and a market.[2]

In addition to reaping less economic benefits, Laos will also likely have to deal with disproportionate social
and environmental costs, people monitoring the project say. Without proper control mechanisms in place,
the region's opening would disproportionately benefit government-connected business groups while
displacing large numbers of the non-ethnic Lao groups currently living in the area.[2]

A 2002 ADB report estimated that approximately 2,500 people (500 households) might have to be relocated
due to the road project; some monitoring groups put the real number much higher. Although resettlement
plans were drafted by the ADB to compensate for the loss of houses, land, rice granaries and shops, it was
not clear that the funds were truly reaching the people most affected.[2]

Among the issues involved was the resettlement of the original Lao inhabitants of Boten village near the
Chinese border, who were moved a kilometer or more down the road to allow the construction of a new
Chinese-owned casino, hotel and other commercial developments. The resettled Botens complained that
their new site lacked services, and that the land set aside for them was smaller and less fertile than their
original land.[2] As well, others complained about rampant land grabs adjacent to the new road by
government-connected traders and businessmen who established shops and other businesses on the new
prime real estate. A lack of formal land deeds or proper court systems meant there was little justice available
to the displaced residents.[2]

The legal vacuum also allowed an increasing flow of Chinese migrants, many of whom first arrived to work

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on the road and who then stayed on to establish businesses along the road, including whole new villages,
which further aggravated those previously resettled to less fertile land.[2]

Rights groups were also concerned with the remote area's rapid development resulting in increases to
exposure of HIV/AIDS, human trafficking and the possible exploitation of the surrounding forests and
wildlife resources.[2]

While the ADB's original hopes that the route would reduce transportation costs for the movement of
vehicles, goods and people, and also promote faster economic growth, as the 7,300 km North-South Corridor
neared completion in 2008 the real costs and benefits of the project for the local populations of Southeast
Asia were still in doubt.[1][2]

Routes
Route AH1 is proposed to extend from Tokyo to the border with Bulgaria west of Istanbul and Edirne,
passing through both Koreas, China and other countries in Southeast, Central and South Asia. The corridor is
expected to improve trade links between East Asian countries, India and Russia. To complete the route,
existing roads will be upgraded and new roads constructed to link the network. US$ 25 billion has been spent
or committed as of 2007, with additional US$ 18 billion needed for upgrades and improvements to
26,000 km of highway.[3]

Numbering and signage

The project new highway route numbers begin with "AH", standing for "Asian Highway", followed by one,
two or three digits.[4] Single-digit route numbers from 1 to 9 are assigned to major Asian Highway routes
which cross more than one subregion.[4] Two- and three-digit route numbers are assigned to indicate the
routes within subregions, including those connecting to neighbouring subregions, and self-contained highway
routes within the participating countries.[4]

The letters and numbers are printed in the Latin script and Arabic numerals. Similarly to the E-road network
the Asian highway numbers may simply be added to existing signage. The highway routes with a single digit
are supposed to cross the whole of Asia while three digit routes are used within a single region of the states -
the routes with two digits are longer regional routes that may or may not cross state borders.[4]

The actual design of the signs has not been standardized, only that the letters and digits are in white or black,
but the color, shape and size of the sign being completely flexible. Most examples feature a blue rectangular
shield with a white inscription (similar to German Autobahn signage) with further examples of white on
green and black on white rectangular shields.[1][2][4]

First car crossing

What is believed to be the first car crossing of the full extent (East to West) of the new Asian Highway was
achieved by Britons Richard Meredith and Phil Colley in 2007 driving an Aston Martin.

Following the AH1 and the AH5 from Tokyo (the Highway grid's furthest point East) to Istanbul (furthest
West), they drove a total of 12089 km (7512 miles) before joining the European motorway network for
another 3259 km (2025 miles) to London.

Including ferry trips and customs clearance delays, the journey took 49 days and crossed 18 countries.

The completed route was verified by Aston Martin [5] and the UN's Asian Commission (UNESCAP) in

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Bangkok, whose director of transport and tourism Barry Cable confirmed "I can warrant that, to my best
knowledge, this was the first car to undertake this journey".[6][7]

Eurowatch in London provided independent corroboration by tracking the car's location from satellite
position reports and plotting the vehicle's location throughout the journey.[8][9]

Meredith, a travel author and veteran of distance-driving events, agreed to make the attempt after attending
the Asian Highway Treaty's "coming into force" ceremony in Bangkok on July 4, 2005.

He was lent an Aston Martin v8 Vantage which had previously been the personal transport of the company's
chief executive Dr Ulrich Bez and recruited Phil Colley, a linguist and travel expert from Kennington, South
London, to be his co-driver. The car was shipped out to Tokyo by the company and they set off on June
25.[10]

Although the trip was facilitated by UNESCAP through its member nations, there were still extensive
problems[11] including enforced detours and interminable customs clearance delays in China, pot-holed
roads in Kazakhstan and leaded-only fuel in Uzbekistan. In Tbilisi, Georgia, the journey car crashed after
being left on a hillside with its handbrake unsecured.

When the record-setting car returned[12][13] a welcome-home reception was staged by Aston Martin at the
Park Lane Hotel in London and Meredith later received a civic award from his home town of Milton
Keynes.[14][15][16]

The car was sold at auction in December 2007 by Bonhams[17][18] and the proceeds donated to UNICEF,
the United Nations Children's Fund. In March 2008 a total collection of 83,000 euros was presented to
UNICEF China for a campaign to reduce child deaths on the roads of Beijing.[19]

Route log
Single-digit routes run across the whole continent:

AH1, 20,557 km (12,848 miles); Tokyo, Japan to border between Turkey and Bulgaria (with AH5)
AH2, 13,177 km (8326 miles); Denpasar, Indonesia to Khosravi, Iran
AH3, 7,331 km (4582 miles); Ulan-Ude, Russia (on AH6) to Tanggu, China; and Shanghai, China (on
AH5) to Chiang Rai, Thailand and Kyaing Tong, Myanmar (both on AH2)
AH4, 6,024 km (3765 miles); Novosibirsk, Russia (on AH6) to Yarantai, Mongolia; and Urumqi,
China (on AH5) to Karachi, Pakistan (on AH7)
AH5, 10,380 km (6488 miles); Shanghai, China (on AH3) to border between Turkey and Bulgaria
(with AH1)
AH6, 10,475 km (6547 miles); Busan, South Korea (the start of Jungang-no Road) to border between
Russia and Belarus
AH7, 5,868 km (3667.5 miles); Yekaterinburg, Russia to Karachi, Pakistan (on AH4)
AH8, 4,718 km (2949 miles); border between Russia and Finland to Bandar Emam, Iran

10-29 and 100-299 are assigned to South-East Asia:

AH11, 1,588 km (992.5 miles); Vientiane, Laos (on AH12) to Sihanoukville, Cambodia
AH12, 1,195 km (747 miles); Nateuy, Laos (on AH3) to Hin Kong, Thailand (on AH1)
AH13, 730 km (456 miles); Oudomxai, Laos (on AH12) to Nakhon Sawan, Thailand (on AH1/AH2)
AH14, 2,077 km (1298 miles); Hai Phong, Vietnam to Mandalay, Myanmar (on AH1/AH2)
AH15, 566 km (354 miles); Vinh, Vietnam (on AH1) to Udon Thani, Thailand (on AH12)
AH16, 1,032 km (645 miles); Dong Ha, Vietnam (on AH1) to Tak, Thailand (on AH1/AH2)
AH18, 1,042 km (651 miles); Hat Yai, Thailand (on AH2) to Johor Bahru Causeway, Malaysia

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AH19, 459 km (287 miles); Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand (on AH12) to Bangkok, Thailand (on AH2)
AH25, 2,549 km (1593 miles); Banda Aceh, Indonesia to Merak, Indonesia (on AH2)
AH26, 3,517 km (2198 miles); Laoag, Philippines to Zamboanga, Philippines

30-39 and 300-399 are assigned to East Asia and North-East Asia:

AH30, 2,739 km (1712 miles); Ussuriysk, Russia (on AH6) to Chita, Russia (on AH6)
AH31, 1,595 km (997 miles); Belogorsk, Russia (on AH30) to Dalian, China
AH32, 3,748 km (2342.5 miles); Sonbong, North Korea (on AH6) to Khovd, Mongolia (on AH4)
AH33, 575 km (359 miles); Harbin, China (on AH6/AH31) to Tongjiang, China
AH34, 1,033 km (646 miles); Lianyungang, China to Xi'an, China (on AH5)

40-59 and 400-599 are assigned to South Asia:

AH41, 948 km (592.5 miles); border between Myanmar and Bangladesh to Mongla, Bangladesh
AH42, 3,754 km (2346 miles); Lanzhou, China (on AH5) to Barhi, India (on AH1)
AH43, 3,024 km (1892 miles); Agra, India (on AH1) to Matara, Sri Lanka
AH44, 107 km (67 miles); Dambulla, Sri Lanka (on AH43) to Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
AH45, 2,030 km (1269 miles); Kolkata, India (on AH1) to Bangalore, India (on AH43/AH47)
AH46, 1,513 km (946 miles); Kharagpur, India (on AH45) to Dhule, India (on AH47)
AH47, 1286 miles (2,057 km); Gwalior, India (on AH43) to Bangalore, India (on AH43/AH45)
AH48, 1 km (.625 miles); Phuentsholing, Bhutan to border between Bhutan and India
AH51, 862 km (539 miles); Peshawar, Pakistan (on AH1) to Quetta, Pakistan (on AH2/AH7)

60-89 and 600-899 are assigned to North Asia, Central Asia and South-West Asia:

AH60, 2,151 km (1344 miles); Omsk, Russia (on AH6) to Burubaital, Kazakhstan (on AH7)
AH61, 4,158 km (2599 miles); Kashi, China (on AH4/AH65) to border between Russia and Ukraine
AH62, 2,722 km (1701 miles); Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan (on AH6/AH64) to Mazari Sharif,
Afghanistan (on AH76)
AH63, 2,434 km (1521 miles); Samara, Russia (on AH6) to Guzar, Uzbekistan (on AH62)
AH64, 1,666 km (1041 miles); Barnaul, Russia (on AH4) to Petropavlovsk, Russia (on AH6/AH62)
AH65, 1,250 km (781 miles); Kashi, China (on AH4/AH61) to Termez, Uzbekistan (on AH62)
AH66, 995 km (622 miles); border between China and Tajikistan to Dushanbe, Tajikistan
AH67, 2,288 km (1430 miles); Kuitun, China (on AH5) to Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (on AH62)
AH68, 278 km (174 miles); Jinghe, China (on AH5) to Ucharal, Kazakhstan (on AH60)
AH70, 4,832 km (3020 miles); border between Ukraine and Russia to Bandar Abbas, Iran
AH71, 426 km (266 miles); Dilaram, Afghanistan (on AH1) to Dashtak, Iran (on AH75)
AH72, 1,147 km (717 miles); Tehran, Iran (on AH1/AH2/AH8) to Bushehr, Iran
AH75, 1,871 km (1169 miles); Tejen, Turkmenistan (on AH5) to Chabahar, Iran
AH76, 986 km (616 miles); Polekhumri, Afghanistan (on AH7) to Herat, Afghanistan (on AH1/AH77)
AH77, 1,298 km (811 miles); Djbulsarcj, Afghanistan (on AH7) to Mary, Turkmenistan (on AH5)
AH78, 1,076 km (672.5 miles); Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (on AH5) to Kerman, Iran (on AH2)
AH81, 1,143 km (714 miles); Larsi, Georgia to Aktau, Kazakhstan (on AH70)
AH82, 1,261 km (788 miles); border between Russia and Georgia to Iveoqlu, Iran (on AH1)
AH83, 172 km (107.5 miles); Kazakh, Azerbaijan (on AH5) to Yerevan, Armenia (on AH81/AH82)
AH84, 1,188 km (742.5 miles); Doğubeyazıt, Turkey (on AH1) to İçel, Turkey
AH85, 338 km (211 miles); Refahiye, Turkey (on AH1) to Merzifon, Turkey (on AH5)
AH86, 247 km (154 miles); Askale, Turkey (on AH1) to Trabzon, Turkey (on AH5)
AH87, 606 km (378.75 miles); Ankara, Turkey (on AH1) to İzmir, Turkey

Distance by country
The planned network runs a total of 87,799 miles (140,479 km).

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Afghanistan, 4,247 km
Armenia, 958 km
Azerbaijan, 1,442 km (901.25 miles)
Bangladesh, 1,804 km (1127.5 miles)
Bhutan, 1 km (0.625 miles)
Cambodia, 1,339 km (837 miles)
China, 25,579 km (15,978 miles)
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), 1,320 km (825 miles)
Georgia, 1,154 km (721.25 miles)
India, 11,432 km (7,145 miles)
Indonesia, 3,989 km (2,493 miles)
Islamic Republic of Iran, 11,152 km (6,970 miles)
Japan, 1,200 km (750 miles)
Kazakhstan, 13,189 km
Kyrgyzstan, 1,695 km (1,059 miles)
Lao PDR, 2,297 km (1,436 miles)
Malaysia, 1,595 km (997 miles)
Mongolia, 4,286 km (2,678.75 miles)
Myanmar, 3,003 km (1,877 miles)
Nepal, 1,321 km (826.6 miles)
Pakistan, 5,377 km (3,360.6 miles)
Philippines, 3,517 km (2,198.1 miles)
Republic of Korea, 907 km (566.9 miles)
Russian Federation, 16,869 km (10,543.1 miles)
Singapore, 19 km (11.9 miles)
Sri Lanka, 650 km (406.25 miles)
Tajikistan, 1,925 km (1203.1 miles)
Thailand, 5,112 km (3195 miles)
Turkey, 5,254 km (3,283.75 miles)
Turkmenistan, 2,204 km (1,377.5 miles)
Uzbekistan, 2,966 km (1,853.75 miles)
Vietnam, 2,678 km (1,673.75 miles)

See also
International E-road network
Arab Mashreq International Road Network
Trans-Asian Railway
Japan-Korea Undersea Tunnel
Eurasian Land Bridge

References
1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kamat, Rahul The Great Asian Highway (http://www.projectsmonitor.com
/detailnews.asp?newsid=8609) , Project Monitor website, 31 January 2005. Retrieved 2009-05-05
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w McCartan, Brian Roadblocks on the Great Asian Highway
(http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JA23Ae01.html) , Asia Times website, 23 January 2008.
Retrieved 2009-05-05;
3. ^ "Priority Investment Needs for the Development for the Asian Highway Network" (http://www.unescap.org
/ttdw/common/tis/ah/priority_investment.asp#profiles) , accessed July 14, 2007
4. ^ a b c d e Newswire (http://www.geog.nau.edu/igust/China2005/other.html) , Tourism Commission of the
International Geographical Union website. Retrieved 2009-05-05;
5. ^ Letter 2007-07-09 Janette Green, Director Brand Communications, Aston Martin, Gaydon CV35 0DB,
England

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6. ^ Letter 2007-18-10 Barry Cable, Director Transport & Tourism Division, United Nations ESCAP (Economic
& Social Commission for Asia & the Pacific), Bangkok 10200, Thailand.
7. ^ (2008) Driven Together Published by Mercury Books on behalf of Word Go Ltd. Page vi (ISBN
9780954143244)
8. ^ Tracking and map log (http://www.driventogether.co.uk/) Letter and data 2007-28-09 Dr Sebastian Archer,
Solutions ARchitect, EurowatchCEntral Ltd, London EC4Y 0HB.
9. ^ Driven Together (http://www.driventogether.co.uk/) - Outside Back Cover.
10. ^ Aston Martin on the Asia-Pacific Highway (http://www.autoracing.com/blog/aston-martin-on-the-asia-pacific-
highway) AutoRacing.com, 2007-09-07. Retrieved 2010-01-01
11. ^ Driven Together (http://www.driventogether.co.uk/) - Various
12. ^ Reuters Aston Martin drivers set Asian Highway record (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section
/9/story.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10457885) NZ Herald, 2007-15-08. Retrieved 2010-01-01
13. ^ Wilkinson, Stephen Hammer Down on Asia's Interstate Highways (http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/blogs
/perrinpost/2007/08/hammer-down-on-.html) Concierge.com, 2007-23-08. Retrieved 2010-01-01
14. ^ British Pair Drive Aston Martin into the Record Books (http://www.astonmartin.com/thecompany
/news?a=697f47fc-938c-4d54-acf8-d4f0106aec9b) Aston Martin, 2007-14-08. Retrieved 2010-01-01
15. ^ Milton Keynes Citizen 2007-13-09 "Aston adventurer safely home" Page 26
16. ^ MK News 2007-12-09 "Records shattered on drive home from Japan" Page 22
17. ^ Record-Breaking Aston Martin to be Sold (http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb
/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=lotdetailsNoFlash&iSaleItemNo=3738707&iSaleNo=15348&
iSaleSectionNo=2) Bonhams, 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2010-01-01
18. ^ 103-year-old Rolls Royce sells for a record £3.5m at auction (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-
499443/103-year-old-Rolls-Royce-sells-record-3-5m-auction.html) Mail Online, 2007-03-12. Retrieved
2010-01-01
19. ^ Milton Keynes Citizen 2008-11-03 "Aston adventure" Page 2

External links
The project homepage (http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/index.asp?MenuName=AsianHighway)
Asia signs up to 'new Silk Road' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3660467.stm) BBC News
report (April 26, 2004)
UNESCAP press release announcing treaty (http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2004/apr/g09.asp)
2003 Asian Highway Handbook (http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/Publications/TIS_pubs/pub_2303
/Full%20version.pdf) (PDF)
Pakistan's Gwadar to Afghanistan, China road declared Asian Highway (http://pakistantimes.net
/top030210601.htm)
Driven Together, Historic first crossing of Asia's new Highway to the West
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Northern Distribution Network
Afghanistan also borders Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, so alternate supply routes,
termed the Northern Distribution Network, exist to move supplies into Afghanistan through these
countries. However, these routes are longer and costlier than the routes through Pakistan.
Routes
There are several different routes included in the Northern Distribution Network. The most
commonly used route, though also one of the longest, starts at the port of Riga, Latvia on
the Baltic Sea, and continues for 3,212 miles (5,169 km) by train southwards through Russia,
using railroads built by Russia in the 1980s for the Soviet war in Afghanistan.[2] The supplies
then pass through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan before reaching Afghanistan's northern border
at Termez.[2] To get to the south of the country, the supplies must be loaded onto trucks and
transported through the mountainous Hindu Kush by means of the Salang Tunnel.[9] The Salang
Tunnel, which is the main connection between northern and southern Afghanistan, is 1.5 miles
long and situated at an altitude of 11,100 feet. It is prone to avalanches and quite dangerous.[9]

Another, more southern route starts at Poti, Georgia on the Black Sea and continues
to Baku, Azerbaijan where the goods are transferred to barges and ferried across the Caspian
Sea.[2] Supplies land in Turkmenistan and then move by rail through Uzbekistan before arriving
at the Afghan border.[8] In 2010, this route carried one third of the NDN's traffic.[2]
A third route, created in order to avoid going through the often volatile country of Uzbekistan,
goes from Khazakstan to Kyrgyzstan and then through Tajikistan before reaching Termez.[2]
History
The Northern Distribution Network was established in 2009 in response to the increased risk of
sending supplies through Pakistan.[22] Initial permission for the U.S. military to move troop
supplies through the region was given on January 20, 2009, after a visit to the region by General
Petraeus.[23] The first shipment along the NDN left on February 20, 2009.[24] By 2011, the NDN
handled about 40% of Afghanistan-bound traffic, compared to 30% through Pakistan.[25]
On May 11, 2009, Uzbekistan president Islam Karimov announced that the airport in Navoi,
Uzbekistan was being used to transport non-lethal cargo into Afghanistan. Due to the still
unsettled relationship between Uzbekistan and the United States following the 2005 Andijon
massacre and subsequent expulsion of U.S. forces from Karshi-Khanabad airbase, U.S. forces
were not involved in the shipment of supplies. Instead, South Korea's Korean Air, which is
currently involved in overhauling Navoi's airport, officially handles logistics at the site.[26]
Originally only non-lethal resources were allowed on the NDN. In July 2009, however, shortly
before a visit by President Obama to Moscow, Russian authorities announced that U.S. troops
and weapons could use the country's airspace to reach Afghanistan.[27]
Additionally, human rights advocates are concerned that the U.S. is again working with the
government of Uzbekistan, which is often accused of violating human rights.[28] Nevertheless,
U.S. officials have promised increased cooperation with Uzbekistan, including further assistance
to turn the Navoi airport into a major regional distribution center for both military and civilian
ventures.[29][30]
Azerbaijan, which has sent its peacekeeping forces to be a part of ISAF, also provided its
airspace and airports for transportation of vital supplies for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Apart
from usage of Azerbaijani airspace by U.S. Air Force, over one-third of all of the nonlethal
equipment including fuel, clothing, and food used by the U.S. military in Afghanistan travels
through Baku.[31]
After the close of the Pakistan routes in 2011, this route became the primary means of moving
fuel into Afghanistan. By February 2012, 85% of the coalition's fuel supplies were transported
by means of this route.[7] It is also used for moving equipment out of Afghanistan as part of the
NATO drawdown.[5] However, the use of this line is expensive, costing $87 million per month
more than when the Pakistan routes were in use.[7] American officials projected that using the
NDN for the NATO withdrawal in 2013 and 2014 would cost up to five times as much as using
the Pakistan routes.[32]
In late 2011, Afghanistan opened its first major railway line, linking Hairatan, on the Uzbek
border, with Mazar-i-Sharif. If successful, this project would greatly increase the efficacy of the
NDN, because goods arriving by train would no longer have to be unload and put on trucks
before entering Afghanistan
Trans-Asian Railway
The Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) is a project to create an integrated freight railway network
across Europe and Asia. The TAR is a project of the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
•

Overview
The project was initiated in the 1960s, with the objective of providing a continuous 8,750 miles
(14,080 km) rail link between Singapore and Istanbul, Turkey, with possible further connections
to Europe and Africa. At the time shipping and air travel were not as well developed, and the
project promised to significantly reduce shipping times and costs between Europe and Asia.
Progress in developing the TAR was hindered by political and economic obstacles throughout the
1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. By the 1990s, the end of the Cold War and normalisation of
relations between some countries improved the prospects for creating a rail network across the
Asian continent.
The TAR was seen as a way to accommodate the huge increases in international trade between
Eurasian nations and facilitate the increased movements of goods between countries. It was also
seen as a way to improve the economies and accessibility of landlocked countries like Laos,
Afghanistan, Mongolia, and the Central Asian republics.
Much of the railway network already exists as part of the Eurasian Land Bridge, although some
significant gaps remain. A big challenge is the differences in rail gauge across Eurasia. Four
different major rail gauges (which measures the distance between rails) exist across the
continent: most of Europe, as well as Turkey, Iran, China, and the Koreas use the 1435 mm
gauge, known as Standard gauge; Russia, and the former Soviet republics use a 1520 mm gauge;
Finland uses a 1524 mm gauge; most of the railways in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka use the 1676 mm gauge, known as Indian gauge and most of Southeast Asia has metre-
gauge. For the most part the TAR would not change national gauges; mechanized facilities would
be built to move shipping containers from train to train at the breaks of gauge.
A big obstacle is also the need of sea transport to Japan and South Korea. A container ship has
room for many more containers than a train. Therefore ships must go less regularly than trains,
creating a big delay. There are hopes to create an overland connection through North Korea,
however there is still a break-of-gauge.
By 2001, the four corridors had been studied as part of the plan:
• The Northern Corridor will link Europe and the Pacific, via Germany, Poland, Belarus,
Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and the Koreas, with breaks of gauge at the Polish-
Belarusian border (1435 mm to 1520 mm), the Kazakhstan-Chinese border (1520 mm to
1435 mm), and the Mongolian-Chinese border (1520 mm to 1435 mm). The 5,750 miles
(9,250 km) Trans-Siberian Railway covers much of this route and currently carries large
amounts of freight from East-Asia to Moscow and on to the rest of Europe. Due to
political problems with North Korea, freight from South Korea must currently be shipped
by sea to the port of Vladivostok to access the route.
• The Southern Corridor will go from Europe to Southeast Asia, connecting Turkey, Iran,
Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand, with links to China's Yunnan
Province and, via Malaysia, to Singapore. Gaps exist between India and Myanmar,
between Myanmar and Thailand, between Thailand and Cambodia, between Cambodia
and Vietnam and between Thailand and Yunnan. The section in eastern Iran between Bam
and Zahedan has been completed. Breaks of gauge occur, or will occur, at the Iran-
 and Zahedan has been completed. Breaks of gauge occur, or will occur, at the Iran-
Pakistan border (1435 mm to 1676 mm), the India-Myanmar border (1676 mm to 1000
mm), and to China (1000 mm to 1435 mm).
• A Southeast Asian network; this primarily consists of the Kunming-Singapore railway.
• The North-South Corridor will link Northern Europe to the Persian Gulf. The main
route starts in Helsinki, Finland, and continues through Russia to the Caspian Sea, where
it splits into three routes: a western route through Azerbaijan, Armenia, and western Iran;
a central route across the Caspian Sea to Iran via ferry; and an eastern route through
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to eastern Iran. The routes converge in the
Iranian capital of Tehran and continue to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
Agreement
The Trans-Asian Railway Network Agreement is an agreement signed on 10 November 2006,
by seventeen Asian nations as part of a United Nations Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) effort to build a transcontinental railway network between
Europe and Pacific ports in China.[1] The plan has sometimes been called the "Iron Silk Road"
in reference to the historical Silk Road trade routes.[2] UNESCAP's Transport & Tourism
Division began work on the initiative in 1992 when it launched the Asian Land Transport
Infrastructure Development project.[3]
The agreement formally came into force on 11 June 2009.[4]
The network
The Trans-Asian Railway system will consist of four main railway routes. The existing Trans-
Siberian railway, which connects Moscow to Vladivostok, will be used for a portion of the
network in Russia.[5] Another corridor to be included will connect China to Korea, Mongolia,
Russia and Kazakhstan.[6] In 2003, the president of Kazakhstan proposed building a standard
gauge link from Dostyk (on the Chinese border) to Gorgan in Iran; it has not yet been built.[7]
Standards
Complicating the plan is the differences in rail gauges currently in use across the continent.
While China, Iran and Turkey currently use 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge tracks,
Russia's tracks are gauged at 1520 mm (5 ft), India's and Pakistan's tracks are 1676 mm (5 ft
6 in) gauge, the tracks covering an area from Bangladesh east to Vietnam and south to the tip of
the Malay Peninsula are 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge with some dual gauge track near the
China-Vietnam border and within Bangladesh, and tracks in Indonesia and Japan are 1067 mm
(3 ft 6 in) gauge.[3] This leads to time consuming interchanges to handle the break of gauge at
main connecting points in the network.
Other standards to consider are:
• railway electrification - 25 kV AC the world standard for new long distance and heavy
duty construction since the 1950s.
• Couplings - Buffers & Chains, Alliance, or SA2. Some dual fitment or transition
couplings are possible.
• Brakes - air, with or without Electronically controlled pneumatic brakes (ECP).
• Loading gauge and Structure gauge - able to take tallest possible shipping container.
• Signalling systems - where signals are electronic, not physically visible, and must be
'read' by equipment in the locomotives, or where the train must interact in different ways
with the infrastructure
• Electromagnetic interference - where radio waves (noise) from electric motors can
interact with different signalling systems
• Rules and regulations.
• Language, including say Seaspeak.
Participating nations
Transportation and railway ministers from forty one nations participated in the week-long
conference[8] held in Busan, South Korea, where the agreement was formulated. The proposed
80,900-km railway network will originate from the Pacific seaboard of Asia and end on the
doorsteps of Europe. The agreement's cosigners included:[1]
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Cambodia
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Kazakhstan
• Laos
• Mongolia
•
Nepal
• Pakistan
• People's Republic of China
• South Korea
• Russia
• Sri Lanka
• Tajikstan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam
The 24 countries that did not sign the agreement at the conference had until 31 December 2007,
to join and ratify the agreement.[9]
On 5 May 2007, officials in Bangladesh announced that the nation will sign on to the agreement
at an upcoming meeting in New York City. The plan for the network includes three lines between
India and Myanmar that traverse Bangladesh.[10] India made a similar announcement on 17 May
2007. As part of the agreement, India will build and rehabilitate rail links with neighboring
Myanmar in projects that are estimated to cost more than 29.41 billion (US$730 million).[11]
Bangladesh finally signed the agreement on 10 November 2007.[12]
Progress
The Trans-Asian Railway Project has not been a great success so far. Very little railway has been
built along the corridors during the 40 years. The Northern Corridor was working already in the
1960s, although only for Soviet Union-China trade. Successes so far include:
• A train ferry across Lake Van, allowing rail services between Turkey and Iran
• link from China to Kazakhstan (Turkestan–Siberia Railway and Lanxin railway,
connected in 1990).
• link from Iran to Central Asia (Trans-Caspian railway plus branch).
• Bosphorus tunnel connecting European Turkey and Asian Turkey is under construction
As of 2011.
• Iran-Pakistan: A Bam - Zahedan link, with a break-of-gauge at Zahedan (Pakistan railway
use broad gauge 1676 mm & Iran railway use Standard gauge 1435 mm). In August 2009
a goods train carrying containers traveled from Islamabad, Pakistan to Istanbul, Turkey;
 a goods train carrying containers traveled from Islamabad, Pakistan to Istanbul, Turkey;
by April 2011, trains were running regularly.[13]
Technically it is possible to introduce a train service on the rail route between Istanbul (Turkey)
to Dhaka (Bangladesh), with a break of gauge at Zahedan on Iran - Pakistan border
North-South Transport Corridor 1

North-South Transport Corridor

The North-South Transport Corridor is a term used to describe the ship, rail, and road route for moving freight
from South Asia to Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Russia. The route primarily involves moving
goods from India via ship to Iran. From Iran, the freight moves by ship across the Caspian Sea or by truck or rail to
Southern Russia. From there, the goods are transported by truck or rail along the Volga River through Moscow to
Northern Europe. In 2001, Russia, Iran, and India signed an agreement to further develop the route.
The Government of India had initiated this project with the view to enhance trade relations between South Asia and
Central Asia. The primary step towards trade enhancement, was signing of Memorandum of understanding between
Indian and Iran over the development ofCHAH BAHAR Portand transhipment facility at Bandar Abbas. This
"International North-South Transport Corridor" will have its starting point from JNPT Port in Mumbai, and via
transhipment the goods will reach Bandar Abbas Port(near Straits of Hormuz) in Iran, then a railway link will be
established between Iran, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and it will finally reach Russia. If the proposed Railway line is
transformed into reality than trade with Afghanistan may also be possible, since there is well established surface
route from Chah Bahar port to Zarang Lake (Border of Afghanistan).
If the winds of peace sweep the South Asia in near future with absence of trust deficit there shall be no need of
transhipment for trade, a well established railway link starting from India, connecting Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan,
Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and will finally reach Russia. Thus peace and commerce opportunities like this will
elucidate win- win situations for one and all
19th November 2011 : As Journalists briefing that, The Indian government will organize a brain-storming
international conference to discuss the NSTC and new trade routes to the former Soviet Union, including through
China.

References
• BBC Monitoring (April 2, 2009). "Russia wants to boost transport cooperation with Caspian states - minister".
• BBC Monitoring (December 9, 2008). "Russia may take part in Kazakh-Turkmen-Iran railway project".
• BBC Monitoring (November 5, 2006). "Iranian, Russian railway officials sign cooperation accord".
• BBC Monitoring (December 15, 2005). "Armenia to join North-South transport corridor".
• Feller, Gordon (April 21, 2003). "Trade route of the future? India, Iran and Russia are pushing a North-South
Transportation Corridor to reach Northern Europe". The Journal of Commerce: p. 26.
• Thai Press Reports (October 27, 2009). "Iran/India: Iran, India Consult on North-South Corridor".
• 'Nitin Jain, Rising IAS Academy (October 27, 2009). "Connectivity between Central & South Asia: Vision to
catalyze peace and warm relations by bridging trade relations".
Article Sources and Contributors 2

Article Sources and Contributors

North-South Transport Corridor  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=496390232  Contributors: Casablanca2000in, Cla68, Hugo999, Russavia, Shyamsunder, 5 anonymous
edits

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 http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/969400/

Print Close Window

C. Raja Mohan Posted online: Mon Jul 02 2012, 18:51 hrs

New Delhi : While there is much talk in America and India on building a New Silk Road between Central Asia and the Subcontinent through Afghanistan and Pakistan, China
has opened a new transport corridor from Western China to the Atlantic running the expansive breadth of the Eurasian land mass.

More than two millennia ago, the Silk Road was a vast overland network that connected China with the Mediterranean. Branches of the Silk Road connected the
Subcontinent with the trade flows between the two other ancient civilizations.

Last week, Beijing dispatched six trucks on a trial run from Helgus, the biggest land port in far Western China on the border with Kazakhstan to France. By the end of the
year, nearly 50 trucks are expected to move every day from Helgus to Western Europe via Central Asia and Russia.

Connecting China’s heartland on the eastern sea board to its far flung territories has always been a major strategic objective of its communist rulers. This objective acquired
a new momentum in 1999 when Beijing launched its ambitious West region development strategy.

China invested hundreds of billion dollars modernising its road networks in Xinjiang, Tibet and Yunnan and extending them beyond borders to the neighbouring countries. As
part of this initiative, China developed the South Xinjiang Railway that extended the rail network to Kashgar just across the northwestern frontiers of the Subcontinent.

It also built the spectacular Tibet railway that connected Lhasa and is on its way to Nepal. China has plans to build a railway line connecting its Yunnan province to Myanmar.

Building an overland transport corridor to the Atlantic is a logical extension of Beijing’s strategy amidst the booming trade between China and Europe. Currently all the trade
between the two regions takes place via the long sea routes.

In contrast, India’s efforts to develop overland transport corridors have faltered amidst Delhi’s uncertain relations with Pakistan and Bangladesh, which constrain India’s
physical access to the West and the East.

The unending conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s reluctance to provide overland transit to goods from India makes many plans for reviving the Silk Road in the Subcontinent
a distant dream.

Bangladesh has been more open to providing transit to India. Dhaka, however, pulled back after the chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee scuttled the Teesta
water sharing accord that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was to sign in Dhaka last September.

Tied down by the bitter legacies of Partition, India will have to work ever harder to connect the Subcontinent to itself and the regions beyond it. Meanwhile China is well on its

1 of 2 06-Jul-12 8:53 AM
 http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/969400/

way to transform the Eurasian geopolitical space.

2 of 2 06-Jul-12 8:53 AM

Moscow R U S S I A
To Russia via Iran: India bets on ambitious route
SHRUTI SRIVASTAVA
NEW DELHI, APRIL 15
INDIA is working with Central
Asia on a transportation network
that will pass through Iran and
Caspian
reach beyond the Caspian sea to
Sea
Russia and Europe. It is in talks
Banda Anzali with Iran to develop p an ambitious
International North-South Corri-
Qazwin Tehran
dor (INSC) that
t will unite Europe
and Asia in a uniqueq wayy and will
I R A N
reduce the time and cost dramati-
Bandar Abbas cally. Moreover, according to offi-
cial sources, it mayy also prove
p to be
I N D I A an effective wayy throughg which In-
dia can pay
p y for Iranian oil byy con-
Mumbai tributing towards the project.
Arabian Sea Accordingg to ggovernment
sources, India has agreed to pro-
26.19
vide expertise
p on issues such as
customs, warehousing, g paperwork
p p
and other infrastructure for
the multi-modal transportation
p provide expertise for the
framework that will connect ports
p multi-modal transportation
on the west coast of India to Badar
Abbas in Iran on the Strait of Hor-
muz, further through
g land to Ban-
dar Anzali p port on the Caspianp
Sea and then through g Rasht and
Astara on the Azerbaijan j border
towards Kazakhstan, and further
onwards towards Russia.
This project would connect Eu-
rope and Asia, and expertsp esti-
mate the distance could be cov-
ered in 25-30 days y from the
present
p 45-60 days through the
Suez Canal.
“This is also being touted as a
INDIA has agreed to
corridor that may also
prove to be an effective
way by which it can pay for
Iranian oil by contributing
towards the project
wayy to pay
p y for the oil we import
from Iran. India can adjust its ru-
pee account for the work being
done on the project for making
payment towards oil,” an official
said.
Though the project is not new
given
g thatt a framework agreement
g be completed
was signed
g between India, Iran,
and Russia in 2001, what is of sig- g
nificance is the timingg of the re-
newed interest in the project.
Ever since the Reserve Bank of
India scrapped a settlement sys-
tem denominated in dollars and
euros in December 2010, India has
been struggling to find a mode of
payment for Iranian oil. More-
over, the recent sanctions by the
US on Iran have made the matter
worse for India. India imports 12
per cent of its oil from Iran.
After a meeting was held in
January with Bulgaria, Iran, Kaza-
khstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and
Tajikistan, a team was sent to Iran
to identify the rail links that need to
p for the pproject
j to
start. Iran has assured that the
missingg train link is likely to be
completed
p byy 2014, officials
o said.
Some 16 countries have shown
interest in the project including
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Oman,
Turkey, Ukraine and Armenia.
Further, in a meeting held on
March 29 in New Delhi, India
pledged its support for the requi-
site infrastructure.
The project
p j assumes signifi-
g
cance given
g the fact that India
can’t use routes through g Pakistan
and Afghanistan
g because of the
uncertainty in the region. All these
countries are oil rich and India is
yet to harness the huge potential
offered by these countries.
Despite U.S. opposition, Iran will be
transport hub of North-South Corridor
Sandeep Dikshit
NEW DELHI: A multi-nation cor-
ridor that would radicallyy re-
duce cargo g transportation
p based in Delhi to sort out
time between India on one
side,, and Central Asia and
Russia,, on the other, with
Iran as the pivot, could see
dry runs beginning next year.
A three-day meeting of ex-
perts from 16 countries dis-
cussed ways to smoothen the
wayy for the International
North South Transport p Cor-
ridor (INSTC)
( ) andd at least six
supplementaryy routes de-
p the U.S. p
spite pushingg its Silk
Road proposal
p p in which its
bete noire, Iran, has been
excluded.
In stark contrast,, Iran
plays
p y a crucial role in the mul-
ti-modal North-South Corri-
dor as its port
p Bandar Abbas
will be the hub of all activity.
Experts proposed the setting
up of two four-nation groups
to resolve many of the issues.
Iran along with Russia and In-
dia (all three initiators of the
project) will be in both
groups.
The meeting on the INSTC,
which ended here on
p
Wednesday, proposed a jjoint
venture amongg Iran,, India,,
Russia and Azerbaijanj to find
solutions to infrastructure
and funding issues. It also
gg
suggested g p on
a core group
customs — India,, Russia Iran
and Turkeyy — consistingg of
p
experts from these countries,,
issues.
When India pointed to a
missing link of 500 km in Iran
that could impede the project,
Tehran gave some good news.
It said 372 km of the Qazvin-
Rasht-Astara railway was
complete and the contractor
identified 163 km of the
Rasht-Astara route. But there
were technical problems in
the last legg leadingg up
p to Azer-
j The experts
baijan. p gg
suggested
that a fund mayy be created to
helpp Iran complete
p the route
as quickly as possible.
The meeting was aimed at
achievingg progress
p g on four
y g the resid-
fronts — identifying
ual construction on the main
North-South Corridor and
the time frame for comple- p
tion of the work,, identifica-
tion of bottlenecks and action
plan for removing them, an
action plan along with a time
frame for harmonisation of
customs and insurance docu-
ments and procedures and
identification of complemen-
tary routes and their status
and actionable points for
member-countries.
The experts indicated the
need for funds off $700 million
(over Rs. 4,000 crores) to en-
sure that portions of the pro-
posed East-West corridor
connecting the Persian Gulf
to Central Asia and China
were linked to the North-
South Corridor.
Cargo transit time
will be reduced: Page 16
The Hindu : News / National : India backs ‘New Silk Road' in Central Asia http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2480058.ece?css=print

Published: September 24, 2011 00:05 IST | Updated: September 24, 2011 02:44 IST
India backs ‘New Silk Road' in Central Asia
Praveen Swami
Krishna says new pipelines, rail links and highways are building blocks of region's future
India has backed a multinational initiative to build a multi-billion dollar network of roads, railways and gas
pipelines linking the resource-rich Central Asia with the continent's fast-growing economies — a project that its
advocates describe as a “New Silk Road,” a modern version of the fabled trade routes.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told a meeting of foreign ministers, held on the sidelines of the United
Nations General Assembly on Thursday, that the project would develop the “building blocks of our vision for
Afghanistan as a hub linking Central and South Asia through pipelines, trade and transit routes for the common
good of the people of our region and the world.”
He said the project would help build upon Afghanistan's “comparative advantage of abundant natural resources and
its strategic geographical location.”
Thursday's talks have paved the way for high-level meetings in Istanbul on November 2 and in Bonn on December 5,
where the building blocks of the “New Silk Road” will be discussed — among them roads, railways, mining projects
and gas pipelines.
Afghanistan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul, the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the foreign
ministers of France, China, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Norway and the United Arab Emirates as well as senior officials
from Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan attended the meeting.
“This was a great day for Afghanistan and the region,” Mr. Rassoul said.
Ms. Clinton said the new network would allow Afghanistan and other Central Asian states to attract new sources of
foreign private sector investment and access markets abroad. This, in turn, would provide people in the region “with

1 of 2 07-Jul-12 9:05 AM
The Hindu : News / National : India backs ‘New Silk Road' in Central Asia http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2480058.ece?css=print

credible alternatives to insurgency.”

However, Ms. Clinton said the project's success would require “changes in attitude and a sustained commitment of
political will.”
Indian firms are already bidding for the development of the Hajigak iron ore mines in Afghanistan, while Chinese
corporations have begun work on a $3 billion investment to tap the country's copper.
New Delhi has also signed on to an $7.6 billion project to build a 2,000-kilometre pipeline that will bring some 70
billion cubic metres of gas each year from Turkmenistan's Daulatabad fields to India, via Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The construction of the pipeline, which will run through some 700 kilometres of Afghan territory and another 800
kilometres of Pakistan, is dogged by security concerns. India and Pakistan will both benefit from its construction,
though, since it will give them reliable access to the world's fourth largest gas reserves.
For its part, China has already made substantial investments in Central Asia. In December, 2010, a 1,833 kilometre
pipeline carrying gas from the Saman-Depe gasfields of eastern Turkmenistan to China's Xinjiang region went
online. China has made substantial investments in energy infrastructure in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Beijing has also launched a number of ambitious highway and rail projects linking Central Asia to its western
regions.
The highways and rail links the “New Silk Route” projects envisage will also give Europe a level of direct access to
Central Asia it has not enjoyed since at least the sixteenth century, when the caravans that ferried goods across the
region were rendered redundant by the new oceanic trade.
Keywords: New Silk Road, India international relations, Central Asia trade
More In: National | News
Printable version | Jul 7, 2012 9:05:47 AM | http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2480058.ece
© The Hindu

2 of 2 07-Jul-12 9:05 AM

CAG India
Air India pilots strike again. Perhaps the
government should let the CAG run the airline?
A
IR India is in trouble again.
Nearly 120 of its pilots have
threatened to quit; 25 of
them, on deputation to Air India
Express, have already started
reporting sick, causing considerable
disruption in services, which are
likely to continue. Previous
problems with the airline’s pilots
have centred on those who were,
pre-merger, part of what was then
Indian Airlines, who believe that
the conditions of the merger were
discriminatory. This round of prob-
lems emerges from an association
of 200 pilots who were with Air India
pre-merger, and who object to those
from Indian Airlines being trained
to use the new Boeing 787 Dream-
liner that the airline has bought.
With touching concern for their fel-
low pilots, they worry that this will
“stall their career progression”.
Well, pilots worry about stalling.
But Air India’s pilots are pretty
unique in that they never seem to
worry about stalling their airline.
Why, after all, should they? The
government has shown, time and
again, that it’s a weak employer,
willing to cave to what it sees —
through reflexive, 1970s-tinted
lenses — as labour problems, even
when the blue-collar workers in
question are some of the highest
paid professionals in the country. Of
course, it could be the case that
Nailed on bail
The CBI will find it difficult to explain its
whimsical and dangerous approach to bail
T
HE Supreme Court has
questioned the CBI on the
differential bail rationale for
the 2G accused. While the agency
is reportedly not opposing bail for
five of the accused, including DMK
striking to prevent your fellow
workers from receiving training as
good as yours is the sort of behav-
iour that any reasonable company
would tolerate, and the only reason
that Air India is imploding is that
the government doesn’t love and
respect the “national carrier”
enough. Or so, at least, is the opinion
of the Comptroller and Auditor
General, which famously warned
that “the ministry of civil aviation
and the government must recognise
that Air India is the national car-
rier... it must be given more than a
level playing field”.
The CAG report, which had all
the answers, seemed to think all the
airlines’ problems stem from step-
fatherly treatment by government.
So how would that report’s drafters
believe this problem should be
solved? Perhaps by even more
generous “performance-linked in-
centives” to underperforming em-
ployees from a bankrupt airline
that’s Rs 40,000 crore in debt? Per-
haps by rewarding employees who,
when not striking to deny training
to others, ensured that the airline
has an on-time performance of 60
per cent for international flights,
about 20 per cent lower than its
competitors? What mysterious
managerial miracle would the CAG
use to solve this problem? Just put
the CAG in charge and find out.
up a solid, damning case against
the accused and working towards
conviction, it seems easier to have
them kept in interim custody for
months. However, that approach is
entirely wrong-headed in a
T
HE idea of a “New Silk
Road” linking South
Asia to Central Asia via
Afghanistan is all the
rage these days. It is about reviv-
ing the land links that are nearly
2,500 yyears old.
The old Silk Road connected
China, India, Persia, Arabia,
Rome and Egypt gyp through g a
network of routes that moved
merchants and p preachers, goods
and ideas across the vast
Eurasian landmass.
landmass
Once long-distance seafaring
developed five centuries ago, the
Silk Road fell into disuse. The
creation of modern territorial
states steadilyy closed down inner
Asian frontiers that were once the
most openp and p productive in the
world. As a result, Afghanistan,
g other is the visit to India byy Nur
Central Asia and western China
are now landlocked.
From Washington to Beijing,
Delhi to Dushanbe, and Tehran
to Kashgar,
g there is much excite-
ment about
bout the enormous poten-
p the templatep
tial of the New Silk Road — road
and rail corridors, oil and natural
gas
g pipelines
p and power transmis-
sion lines
line land-linking the
territories that became remote
only in recent history.
For Kabul and its supporters,
ppp
turningg Afghanistan
g into “Asia’s
“AAsia’s
roundabout” is at the heart of
the strategy to make it economi-
cally self-sustaining after 2014,
when the US and its allies with-
draw most of their troops from
the country.
At least some in Pakistan, which
has always been acutely conscious
of its geostrategic location at the
crossroads of Asia, have begun g to
recognise
g the benefits of becom-
ingg an economic bridge
Persian GuGulf.
g between
India, China, Central Asia and the
For Delhi, overcomingg the
political
p barriers in Pakistan for
trans-border trade and gaining
overland access to Afghanistan
g
g g
and Central Asia have been major j Beijing is extremely careful not
themes of its meandering peace
process with Islamabad.
Islamabad
Two very different events this
week are likely to showcase the
opportunities and challenges in
Afghanistan as the
Asian roundabout on the
New Silk Road
C. RAJA MOHAN
building a New Silk Road.
One is the conference in Istan-
bul that brings together Kabul’s
neighbours and major powers to
promote peace and reconciliation
within Afghanistan as well as re-
gional security and prosperity.
External Affairs Minister S.M.
Krishna is representing Delhi at
the Istanbul conference. The
Bekri, the ggovgovernor
vernor of China’s
Xinjiang province. If the former is
about exploring multilateral
solutions to a prolonged g regional
g Obama administration’s strategy
crisis, the latter is about expanding
p g
of Sino-Indian
relations to cover an important
p support from major international
province that borders India and is
p financial institutions like the Asian
beingg developed p into a thriving
hub for Central and South Asia.
For Delhi overcoming the political barriers in Pakistan
for trans-border trade and gaining overland access to
Afghanistan and Central Asia have been major themes
of its meandering peace process with Islamabad.
Together, the two events
highlight the new possibilities for
trans-border economic co-
operation but also underline the
persistent problem of cross-
border terrorism.
The Istanbul conference will
focus on ending Afghanistan’s
violent insurgency that enjoys
sanctuaries in the borderlands of
Pakistan. Bekri’s visit to India
comes at a time when Xinjiang is
facing trouble from extremist
groups trained and equipped in
terror camps in Pakistan.
to point fingers at its all-weather
friends in Islamabad or join India
in its arguments with Pakistan on
the sources of cross-border terror-
ism in the region. But Delhi and
Beijing can certainly begin to
compare notes on how the evolv-
ing Af-Pak dynamic might impact
on their internal security.
While India-China
ndia-China counter-
terror cooperation
p might
g take
time to evolve, Delhi and Beijingg
have similar interests in
promotingg regional
p g integration
g
between South Asia, Central
Asia and western China. So does
the United States.
Buildingg a New Silk Road has
become a major j component
p of the
gy
to secure Afghanistan’s future be-
yond 2014. It has been mobilising
Development Bank and private
investors to back the plans for
reconnecting Afghanistan to both
South and Central Asia.
A comprehensive regional
security framework is likely to re-
main elusive at Istanbul because of
Pakistan’s opposition. Islamabad
sees itself in a privileged position
in Afghanistan and has no interest
in regional mechanisms that
constrain its freedom of action.
Nevertheless it is certainly pos-
sible that the idea of the New Silk
Road will gain some traction in
Istanbul. In her testimony to the
US Congress last week, Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton said the
Obama administration is “pursu-
ing a broader, long-term vision
for regional economic integration
that we call the New Silk Road.
It’s not just an economic plan. It
Express offers the Letter of
talks about how we can get these
countries that have so many
problems with each other to be-
the Week Award. The letter
adjudged the best for the
gin cooperating”.
She added: “I’m very pleased by
week is published every
Saturday. Letters may be
the progress that both India and
Pakistan are making on the
e-mailed to editpage
@expressindia.com or sent
commercial front and the progress to The Indian Express,
9&10, Bahadur Shah Zafar
in implementing the transit trade
Marg, New Delhi -110002.
agreement between Afghanistan
and Pakistan.” Letter writers should mention
their postal address and
Meanwhile, China has alreadyy
phone number.
taken the lead in buildingg
ambitious trade corridors between The winner receives
western China on the one hand books worth
and Pakistan
a and the Middle East Rs 1,000.
on the other. Beijing j g also has
ambitious plans
p to develop p a Letters to the
“Eurasian land bridge”
Pacific
a
g linkingg its
coastline with the Atlantic.
EDITOR
Bekri is visiting Delhi with a
large delegation of businessmen Function key
and is open to the idea of greater ■ THE alarm sounded by Azim
trade and economic cooperation Premji on the paralysis in
between Xinjiang and India. As government functioning is
Sino-Indian relations stabilise and most timely (‘Govt, bureau-
expand, it is possible to conceive cracy paralysed: Premji’, IE,
land links between western China November 1). Criticism is not
and Indiaa over the longer
g term. just coming from disgruntled
While India has reasons to politicians in the opposition
j to China’s development
object p of and ordinary citizens. As
infrastructure in Pakistan-occu- Premji’s statement suggests,
pied Kashmir, Delhi has everyy
p the discontent is all-pervasive.
incentive to explore
p the possibili-
p Industrialists generally try to
ties for joint ventures with Beijing
j g be on the right side of the
in the future development p of government, but we find that
Afghanistan.
g Both India and there is unhappiness among
China have an interest in develop-p them as well. This is due to a
ingg the natural resources of perceived drift in governance.
Afghanistan
g and connect the The government needs to
country to global markets.
market correct this. The other urgent
The idea of a New Silk Road, need is to overhaul the
then, opens up a rare opportunity administration. A resurgent
for Delhi to work with both Wash- India needs a responsive
ington and Beijing in promoting administration.
grand trans-border infrastructure — T.R. Malakar
projects in the north-western sub- Delhi
continent and Central Asia.
While many fundamental
differences remain among Islam-
abad, Delhi and Beijing, and the
Difficult paths
■ APROPOS the editorial
‘Potholes in growth’ (IE,
future of Afghanistan remains November 1), it’s unfortunate
very uncertain, the collective
regional pursuit of a New Silk
that our highways are in such
disrepair. The number of
Road might provide a very differ- vehicles on our roads has
ent context to address them. grown manifold and traffic
congestion is a norm in cities
The writer is a senior fellow at the like Mumbai. Highways are
Centre for Policy Research, Delhi the paths to progress, con-
express@expressindia.com necting people and helping
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ethnic region with Most Read Most E-mailed

impressive rates of
growth. The US’s Marriage. Don’t do it
New Silk Road Film Review | Bol Bachchan
initiative hopes to Ruchir Sharma | The art of travel
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‘A true believer in science and its impact
Asia, Eurasia, and the on civilization’
Middle East through the liberalization of trade barriers, the
removal of bureaucratic customs procedures and the
development of transit and energy infrastructure.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh put this idea poetically by

saying, “I dream of a day…one can have breakfast in
Amritsar, lunch in Lahore, and dinner in Kabul.”

Interest in turning Afghanistan into a regional trade hub

arose in the summer of 2010, when Pentagon officials
announced an estimated $1 trillion of untapped mineral
wealth, including gold, cobalt, iron, copper, silver and lithium.
US officials, however, have been encouraging some iteration
of this scheme for some time now, one example being the
Silk Road Strategy Act of 1999.

Now, like then, US leaders have never consistently promoted

the prospect of a better future for the region, for three
reasons.

First, a New Silk Road is magical thinking, given that

Afghanistan remains a hotbed of instability plagued by
daunting challenges. Lack of security has already delayed
Tapi, the natural gas pipeline linking Turkmenistan,
Sites
Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Hindustan Times
Hindustan
For the foreseeable future, Afghanistan will remain an Online Classifieds
international suzerainty with power split between an Fever 104

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internationally backed Western regime and a Pakistan, Saudi Shine: Jobs

Movie Reviews
Arabia, and UAE-backed Taliban. It is unrealistic to assume
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that Afghanistan will yield an environment conducive to Chidambaram may head eGoM on
private sector-led growth, much less that its security will 2G
Such a move is being seen as a signal
miraculously improve over the next 18 months. that govt intends to pursue its economic
reform agenda, say experts
Second, the relationship among countries in the region is
US judge orders mediation in
shaky, as most are embroiled in ethnic, political and Infosys visa misuse case
economic conflicts. US district court judge Myron H.
Thompson ordered the lawyers for both
Tensions between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have impeded sides to settle the case in a...

economic ties between them. Trade agreements among ‘Indian tax laws shouldn’t override
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have always remained DTAAs’
fragile. Following last summer’s violence in southern Mauritius trade minister Arvin Boolell said
once ‘limitation of benefit’ clause is
Kyrgyzstan, the border between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan embedded...
has been closed for over a year. Uzbekistan has increased
Malware may hit access to Internet
cargo transit fees by fivefold in the last two years and worldwide on Monday
Tajikistan too has raised its tariffs twice over the same Many users are unlikely to know if their
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exchange of human and physical capital.
Ajai Chowdhry | My connect from
Closely related, China and Russia, both members of the HCL cannot be taken away
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, are both uncomfortable After ending ties with HCL, Chowdhry now
wants to work with the govt to sharpen
with Washington taking the lead. Besides, while the New Silk India’s focus
Road can be dubbed the US’s brainchild, China’s version is
quite different. It is based on three main corridors
crisscrossing the Eurasian continent (the Eurasian Land
Bridge) that serve as the main arteries from which rails,
highways and pipelines will be built. The existing Trans-
Siberian Railway runs from Vladivostok in eastern Russia to
Moscow and connects to western Europe and Rotterdam.
Another corridor runs from Lianyungang port in eastern
China through Kazakhstan in central Asia and onto
Rotterdam. A third runs from Pearl River Delta in south-east
China through south Asia to Rotterdam.

Perhaps the biggest impediment to expanded regional

connectivity is that what Washington perceives to be its
interests is not synonymous with the pursuit of regional

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peace.

According to Andrew C. Kuchins, one of US’s leading experts

on central Asia, “Iran and Pakistan are sceptical of the New
Silk Road strategy to the extent that they view it as a US
plan.” Indeed, the US constantly threatens to bomb Iran
while currently being engaged in offensive operations in
Pakistan.

With Tehran, Washington has few effective instruments to

submerge the differences between them in the pursuit of
common regional objectives. Both seem unwilling to engage
in direct talks, much less make reciprocal concessions.

In Islamabad—despite the latter’s crushing energy

needs—last month, secretary of state Hillary Clinton warned More videos >>
that the US would impose sanctions if Pakistan went ahead
with a proposed gas pipeline project with Iran. Such
inconsistent policies—of calling for regional integration and
subsequently sabotaging it—assumes that merely promoting
a vision of sustainable growth and good governance will lead
ineluctably to measures that guide its implementation.

The pivotal reasoning behind the New Silk Road is that

economic incentives will reinforce political integration and
long-term stabilization. This, however, puts the cart before
the horse. For centuries, central Asia has been a cockpit of
regional competition. Consequently, anything approaching an
adequate or even plausible strategy must accept the
likelihood that the region’s underlying historical rivalries
might be immutable. Moreover, America’s interests are not
the same as that of various countries in the region, and to
assume otherwise hinders the ability to shape a coherent
regional economic strategy.

The US and Nato officials continue to call for pursuing greater

regional diplomacy, however, they have yet to put forward
precise ideas about the content of such a negotiation that will
include all of Afghanistan’s neighbours.

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Malou Innocent and Tridivesh Singh Maini are, respectively,

foreign policy analyst at CATO Institute and an associate
fellow at the Observer Research Foundation

Comments are welcome at theirview@livemint.com

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