MOSCOW, August 19. /TASS/. Russia is exploring options to extend railway routes through Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Indian Ocean, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin told reporters, answering a question from TASS.

According to the deputy prime minister, this work is underway across several areas. Specifically, the so-called eastern bypass of the Caspian Sea is being ramped up, while road routes through Uzbekistan and Afghanistan towards the Indian Ocean are also being mapped out.

"Together with our colleagues from Central Asia and other nations, we are working on road transport routes through Uzbekistan and Afghanistan to reach the Indian Ocean. Concurrently, our colleagues from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are looking into the possibility of extending railways through Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Indian Ocean," Khusnullin said.

He added that Russia's Transport Ministry is involved in these efforts. The deputy prime minister emphasized that additional transit corridors are currently in high demand, particularly given the situation in Iran.

"Experience shows that not only the western but also the eastern bypass of the Caspian Sea is highly advantageous and essential for us from both an economic and transport perspective," he noted.