Lokesh Says Arctic Route Can Transform India-Europe Trade

Vijayawada:Andhra Pradesh is strategically positioned to emerge as India’s gateway in the evolving Arctic logistics network, education and IT minister Nara Lokesh has said during his ongoing Russia tour.

He participated in the ‘New frontiers in global logistics and the Arctic logistics framework’ dialogue at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026 on Friday.

Addressing global industry leaders and policymakers on the fourth day of the forum, Lokesh highlighted AP’s growing significance in maritime trade, logistics and manufacturing, while underscoring the opportunities arising from deeper India-Russia cooperation.

The AP minister highlighted the strategic importance of the emerging Arctic maritime corridor for India and particularly for Andhra Pradesh, which possesses a long coastline and rapidly expanding port infrastructure.

The minister said the shorter Arctic route could significantly benefit India’s economy by cutting shipping time and reducing dependence on conventional maritime corridors vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions. He pointed out that recent disturbances in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal region had exposed the risks associated with relying on a single global trade route.

Lokesh noted that Andhra Pradesh, with a coastline stretching over 1,053km along India’s eastern seaboard, was naturally positioned to become a key gateway for the proposed trade network. Six ports in the state were already operational while four major ports were under various stages of development.

Explaining the strategic linkage between Andhra Pradesh and the Arctic corridor, the minister referred to the Chennai–Vladivostok maritime corridor launched last year. Ships from Visakhapatnam and other ports on the east coast were already reaching Vladivostok in about 24 days. From Vladivostok, the Arctic route opens westward towards Europe through the Northern Sea Route, thereby connecting India’s eastern coastline directly to emerging global shipping networks.

The AP minister observed that the route would be especially advantageous for transporting fertilizers from Russia, one of the world’s leading fertilizer producers. At present, fertilizer shipments travel through the Baltic Sea, the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean before reaching the Indian ports, making the journey long, expensive and vulnerable to interruptions.

Under the proposed Arctic corridor, fertilizers loaded at Russian Arctic ports could move eastward through the northern sea route to Vladivostok and then proceed via the Sea of Japan and the Bay of Bengal to Visakhapatnam, substantially reducing both travel time and distance, he explained.

The minister said the corridor could also lower transportation costs for crude oil, LNG and critical minerals. However, he acknowledged that the northern sea route currently remains fully operational for only four to five months annually due to the severe winter conditions requiring icebreaker support.

Lokesh said Russia was steadily expanding its icebreaker fleet and preparing for year-round navigation through the Arctic waters. “With global cooperation, Andhra Pradesh is ready to become an active partner in this new era of maritime trade and logistics,” Lokesh asserted.