"In the Revival of the Silk Road: Major Joint Projects in Transport Infrastructure"

The Silk Road is one of the largest symbolic manifestations of economic and cultural integration in the history of human civilization, ensuring connections between East and West for almost two thousand years. Along the Silk Road, not only commercial goods - silk, wood, precious stones, paper, and handicrafts - but also ideas, technologies, scientific achievements, and cultural traditions spread. Therefore, the Silk Road is of particular importance in the development of humanity as a "bridge of civilizations."

In the 21st century, as global economic integration processes deepen, the idea of reviving the Silk Road has once again come to the forefront as a strategic direction of international politics and economics.

In the global economy, global supply chains and logistics efficiency have become one of the key factors determining countries' competitiveness. From this perspective, developing transport infrastructure in the Eurasian continent is crucial not only for economic impact but also for geopolitical stability and regional cooperation.

According to World Bank reports, every US dollar invested in sustainable infrastructure ensures an average GDP growth of $4. This clearly demonstrates the importance of transport projects as a driver of economic growth.

Therefore, attention is being paid to the necessity of forming an inclusive transport system along the "East-West" and "North-South" directions, which will contribute to the effective development of the economic potential of the SCO countries.

To implement domestic products at competitive global prices, Uzbekistan needs to develop additional export trade routes to countries such as China, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, India, and Pakistan. For this purpose, competitive and efficient transport and transit routes are essential.

The People's Republic of China is the main initiator of the idea of reviving the Silk Road in the 21st century. The "Belt and Road Initiative," announced in 2013, is a large-scale integration program encompassing not only transport infrastructure but also energy, digital economy, industrial clusters, and cultural exchange.

This program creates significant opportunities for the countries of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan. Currently, Uzbekistan is taking several steps within this initiative to modernize railways and highways, build logistics centers, and enhance transit potential.

In particular, in 2016, Uzbekistan successfully constructed the Kamchik Tunnel, 19.2 km long, in the mountainous eastern part of the country. In June of the same year, the leaders of Uzbekistan and China held a ceremony to inaugurate the electrified Angren-Pap railway and the Kamchik Tunnel.

On July 4, 2024, at the regular meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO Member States in Astana, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, emphasized that "the diversification of transport corridors is a crucial condition for the sustainable development of our entire region."

Currently, one of the main priority tasks is the consistent increase of multimodal freight transportation volumes along the routes China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan.

Specifically, the strategic railway project "China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan," which is being built rapidly, has been recognized as one of the largest infrastructure initiatives in the region's history and called the "construction project of the century." The construction of this railway essentially signifies the revival of the "Great Silk Road" in a new form.

In April 2025, construction of this railway officially began in the Kyrgyz city of Jalal-Abad. Thanks to effective cooperation among the railway organizations and workers of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, construction work on several sites started ahead of schedule, indicating that the project has entered an active phase of construction.

The project plans to build 20 stations, 42 bridges, and 25 tunnels along the route "Kashgar – Torugart – Makmal – Jalal-Abad – Andijan." The total length of the railway will be 532.53 km, with completion expected by the end of 2030. The annual freight capacity is planned to reach 15 million tons. Modern transit-logistics centers, warehouses, and terminals will also be constructed along the route.

Thus, the "China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan" route can elevate not only the transport infrastructure but also the economic integration of the region to a new level.

This railway will directly connect the Fergana Valley with China and is considered one of the shortest transit routes on the Eurasian continent.

After the project's implementation, the transport distance along the routes "China – Europe" and "China – South Asia" will be reduced by 900 km and 1000 km, respectively, and the transit time will decrease by approximately one week.

However, strategic priorities in the region are not limited to this project alone. Another key priority is the Trans-Afghan Railway (Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan).

The implementation of this project will establish a sustainable transport corridor linking Uzbekistan and the entire Central Asian region with South Asia. This will provide the regional countries access to seaports. Additionally, all SCO member countries will be connected by a single railway line.

On July 17, 2025, in Kabul, the first trilateral meeting at the level of foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan took place, during which a Framework Agreement was signed to develop the feasibility study for the "Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan" railway.

The chosen main route of the project is "Termez – Naibabad – Maydanshahr – Logar – Kharachi." Subsequently, cargo transported along this route will be integrated with the Pakistani railway from Peshawar to Karachi and delivered to the ports of Karachi and Qasim.

The launch of both railways — "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan" and "Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan" — will promote the deep integration of Uzbekistan’s transport and logistics system into the global network. This will not only enable faster and cheaper delivery of domestic products to world markets but also significantly reduce transport costs in the price of imported goods.

The revival of the Silk Road is an opportunity not only to restore historical heritage but also to secure a worthy place in the new global economic order. Large joint projects in transport infrastructure lay the foundation for strategic stability, economic growth across the Eurasian space, and the beginning of a new era of cooperation based on mutual trust between peoples

Chief Specialist of the Center for the Study of Transport Problems

Sh.Sikhnazarov