The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has extended an invitation for an Indo Russian Workshop on Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) in Chennai, India. The workshop is proposed to take place from 30 October to 1st November, 2023.
The EMC is a proposed trade route between the Russian port city of Vladivostok and the Indian port city of Chennai. It is estimated to reduce the time required to transport cargo between the two countries by up to 16 days.
The workshop will provide a common meeting ground among the port authorities of Russian Far East and India, representatives of Russian railways, logistics/shipping companies of both countries. It will discuss the ways to operationalize the EMC and explore the possibilities of trade and cooperation between India and Russia.
The workshop is a significant step towards the early operationalization of the EMC. It is expected to boost trade and economic ties between the two countries.
In his invitation, Shri Sonowal said that the EMC will usher a new era of trade relationship between India and Russia. He said that India is committed to making innovative solutions that will enhance and further foster the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The Russian government has also expressed their desire to visit the Chennai port with a large business delegation to explore opportunities and possibilities through bilateral discussion with their Indian business delegation.
The workshop is a timely initiative and is expected to give a boost to the trade and economic ties between India and Russia. It will also help to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
In addition to the workshop, Shri Sonowal is also scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart, Vitaly Saveliev, Minister for Transport of Russia, among other important bilateral engagements. He is also slated to visit the Vladivostok port tomorrow.
