India and Russia aim to establish Chennai-Vladivostok maritime route

Subject : International relations

Section: Places in news

Context:

India and Russia are keen to make the Chennai – Vladivostok maritime route operational,n Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal informed.

Details:

During the 2019 visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) on the ‘Development of Maritime Communications between the Port of Vladivostok and the Port of Chennai’.
The Vladivostok – Chennai route passes through the Sea of Japan, the South China Sea and Malacca Strait.
The route will bring down transport time to 12 days, almost a third of what is taken under the existing popular route that covers St Petersburg to Mumbai.
- The current maritime route, St Petersburg to Mumbai, is said to be an 8,675 nautical mile (16,000 km) one.
- Against this, the proposed Vladivostok – Chennai route is said to be 5647 nautical miles (10,500 km) long.
Costs are expected to reduce by 30%.
Significance of the new route:
The new route would also give India access to the Far East, including countries like Mongolia, and the largest presence in the South East Asian region.
While export from Russia could include coal, crude oil and LNG, apart from commodities like apples and kiwis.; shipments from India could include construction equipment, construction materials, and pharma, among others.

What is the Significance of the Russian Far East (REF)?

The region encompasses one-third of Russia’s territory and is rich with natural resources such as fish, oil, natural gas, wood, diamonds and other minerals.
The small population living in the region is another factor for encouraging people to move and work in the Far East.
The region’s riches and resources contribute to 5 % of Russia’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
- But despite the abundance and availability of materials, procuring and supplying them is an issue due to the unavailability of personnel.
The RFE is geographically placed at a strategic location, acting as a gateway into Asia.