en.Wedoany.com Reported - India plans to send its first cargo ship along Russia's Northern Sea Route in 2027. New Delhi hopes to expand trade ties with Moscow against the backdrop of Western sanctions and disruptions on the Suez Canal route.

The Arctic coastline along the Northern Sea Route spans approximately 5,600 kilometers, making it the shortest maritime passage between East Asia and Europe. A joint secretary at India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways stated that officials are planning to dispatch the first pilot vessel on the Northern Sea Route in 2027. The announcement was made on August 13 at the Arctic-Regions Forum held in Arkhangelsk, where he described the growing dialogue between India and Russia on Arctic shipping as a shift toward pragmatic cooperation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on August 12 that Moscow has noted rising interest in the Arctic route among various nations, naming India and China among the countries engaged in negotiations with Russia. Russian officials stated that compared to the Suez Canal route, the Northern Sea Route could save India up to 40% of the distance and shorten voyage times by about two weeks.

The joint secretary also mentioned that cargo volumes on the Chennai-Vladivostok corridor, known as the Eastern Maritime Corridor, have surged by 70%, and extending this growth momentum to the Northern Sea Route is seen as a "tremendous possibility." India has also expressed interest in the multimodal Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor and signed two memorandums of understanding last year to develop these routes.

Russia has invested in developing infrastructure for the Northern Sea Route. In 2023, Moscow reached an agreement with Dubai-based DP World, one of the world's largest port operators, to develop container shipping along the route. Last year, 23 voyages were completed on the Northern Sea Route, with another 30 planned for 2026, driven by increasing use of the route by Chinese companies.

Azamat Khochuev, Director of Arctic Development at Russia's Rosatom, stated that cargo volumes between Russia and China on the route have exceeded 5 million tons this year. The company operates a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers and is Russia's designated operator and coordinator for the Northern Sea Route.

China's Sea Legend Shipping will launch its first regular service to Europe via the Northern Sea Route this month, with plans to deploy seven vessels along the route between August and October. South Korea is also developing cargo operations via the Northern Sea Route, with Seoul treating Arctic shipping as a national strategic priority.

It should be noted that the Northern Sea Route is only seasonally open. Since Arctic sea ice recedes only during part of the year, vessels require support from specialized icebreakers for navigation. Currently, the vessel type, operator, or cargo for the pilot voyage has not yet been determined.

India and Russia have set a target of reaching $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. Russian oil currently accounts for more than half of India's crude imports, and this dependence on Russian energy makes Arctic shipping capacity an increasingly important component of the broader India-Russia trade relationship.