KABUL, August 11, 2026 (Agencies) — Afghanistan’s Taliban government has expressed support for a proposed railway link connecting Russia with India through the region, saying it would help create jobs and boost trade while pledging to ensure the route’s security.
Abdul Rahman Habib, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Economy, told RT India’s head of news, Runjhun Sharma, that Afghanistan’s strategic geographical location made it an important potential transit country.
“Afghanistan is in a vital geographical location. This project will create employment in Afghanistan,” Habib said, adding that the government supports such projects.
The proposal was raised by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, who said Moscow was interested in developing a rail connection to the Indian Ocean to reduce dependence on maritime routes vulnerable to disruptions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz.
Khusnullin said Russia was prepared to examine various routes providing access to India, including possible corridors through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
No final route, construction schedule or financing agreement has yet been announced.
For Afghanistan, the project could provide significant economic benefits by generating transit revenues, creating jobs and expanding trade links with Central and South Asia. The landlocked country has no direct access to the sea and has sought to strengthen its role as a regional transit hub.
A rail corridor reaching the Indian Ocean could also provide Russia with an alternative trade route to South Asia, while potentially facilitating the movement of energy, raw materials and other goods.
The proposal comes as Moscow and Kabul have expanded their ties since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Russia and the Taliban government signed a military cooperation agreement in May aimed at strengthening security cooperation and Moscow’s influence in Central Asia.
India, meanwhile, remains one of the largest buyers of Russian crude oil and maintains longstanding defence and strategic relations with Moscow. The two countries have also set a target of increasing bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.
The full interview with Habib is expected to be broadcast by RT India soon.