ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have agreed to continue test cargo shipments via the eastern route of the North–South International Transport Corridor (NSTC), a multimodal freight network linking South Asia with Central Asia, Russia and onward to Europe, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Thursday.

The NSTC is designed to move goods through a combination of sea, road and rail, providing an alternative to traditional maritime routes through the Middle East. For Pakistan, the corridor offers a potential overland gateway into Eurasian markets. For Russia, it provides access to warm-water ports and shorter commercial routes to the Arabian Sea.

The development comes amid steadily improving Pakistan–Russia ties over the past three years, including Islamabad’s purchase of discounted Russian crude and a shipment of liquefied petroleum gas in 2023. Moscow has also expanded diplomatic outreach in the region as Pakistan seeks diversified energy imports and new export corridors.

“The two countries decided to continue work on test cargo shipments along the eastern route of the North–South International Transport Corridor, aimed at improving regional connectivity,” Radio Pakistan reported, following the conclusion of the 10th meeting of the Pakistan–Russia Intergovernmental Commission in Islamabad.

The three-day session was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Power Minister Awais Leghari and Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, and covered cooperation in economic policy, energy infrastructure and strategic transport integration, according to the state media report.

Separately, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said on Wednesday that universities from Islamabad and Moscow, in collaboration with the Consortium for Asia-Pacific and Eurasian Studies (CAPES), will host the Pakistan–Russia Eurasia Forum 2025 in Moscow, aimed at expanding cooperation in education, culture, business and people-to-people exchange. 

The two-day event will gather policymakers, scholars, business leaders and youth delegates under the theme “Forging Connectivity and Exploring People-to-People Partnership for a New Era.”

Both developments reflect deepening engagement as Islamabad positions itself for greater Eurasian integration and Russia diversifies trade routes under shifting global economic alignments.