Energy Factor of the International North-South Transport Corridor Project

Abstract

This study offers a comprehensive assessment of the energy potential of the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) member states and its impact on the economic integration of Central Asia within Greater Eurasia. The research compares the logistics parameters of the INSTC with alternative routes, analyzes the member states' resource base for oil, gas, coal, and uranium, determines the balance of export–import energy flows, and identifies the infrastructural and institutional constraints hindering the corridor's potential. The methodology is based on statistical analysis (Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, World Nuclear Association 2024), the comparative geographical method, and rank analysis. The findings demonstrate that the length of the INSTC (7.2 thousand km) is half that of the route through the Suez Canal, reducing transit time by 30–50% and transport costs by 25–30%. The member states control a substantial share of global energy resources: Kazakhstan ranks second in the world in uranium reserves (815 thousand tonnes, 13% of global reserves) and first in production (45% of global output); Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran are among the global top four in natural gas reserves; and India acts as a major net importer, generating sustainable effective demand. The study concludes that the INSTC can overcome Central Asia's "landlocked curse", transforming the region from an isolated periphery into a transit hub. However, the energy potential remains unrealized without modernization of Caspian ports, synchronization of customs procedures, and political coordination among the participants. The uranium potential of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan opens prospects for the development of nuclear energy in Asia using the INSTC as a logistics link. For this purpose, it would be advisable to conduct quantitative modeling of freight flows in the future.