INSTC draft approval: Big step forward on India-Iran-Russia corridor.

The much-awaited International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) through Iran has been set in motion, with New Delhi, Tehran, Moscow and 10 other nations at a recent meeting in Delhi approving draft transit and customs agreements, which will provide the legal framework for moving freight on ship-rail-road route linking India, Iran, Russia, Central Asia and Europe. India, with Iran's assistance and supported by Russia, has moved fast to make the INSTC project a reality after over a decade following the deal between Tehran and P-5+1 (US, Russia, China, UK, France and Germany) over Iran's nuclear programme that brightened the prospects of withdrawal of international sanctions against Tehran. Last month, the Modi government hosted a meeting of the INSTC coordination council away from the public glare. Besides senior officials of India, Iran and Russia, representatives of most of the 10 other participants and prospective participant nations attended the meeting. They agreed to undertake "practical steps on issues related to logistics and infrastructure necessary for making the proposed transport corridor operational", an official said, adding, INSTC draft transit and customs agreements are under consideration by all the stakeholder