BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 12. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) determines regional geopolitical balancing strategies, Matthew Orr, Eurasia analyst at RANE, told Trend.
"The Middle Corridor is an essential transit route to many states in the Eurasia region. In fact, it is a route so significant that many countries’ geopolitical balancing strategies (multi-vector foreign policies) between regional powers are premised upon its operation," he said.
According to Orr, Central Asian states are largely isolated from the global market without the operation of the route, as paths through heavily sanctioned Russia and Iran are unattractive, Afghanistan is way too unstable, and China’s reliability is increasingly questionable amid its growing tensions with the West.
"The route provides a lifeline for countries in the region to avoid overreliance on Russia, while providing China freight access to Türkiye and Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus, bypassing Russia. Further expanding the route is crucial for its long-term viability," he said.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching Europe.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.