International North-South Trade Corridor and the New Eurasian Order

In this paper, we discuss:

• The INSTC as part of a broader Eurasian reordering driven by geopolitics and alternative trade networks;
• The corridor’s potential to reduce transit times and reshape regional trade flows despite rising volumes;
• Infrastructure bottlenecks alongside key breakthroughs such as the Rasht-Astara railway;
• A fragmented landscape of competing corridors across Eurasia rather than a unified system;
• The SCO’s ambitions for connectivity and de-dollarization, constrained by limited institutional capacity.

Download PDF: INSTC – April 2026