Ukraine crisis: Exporters explore 3 back-up routes to Russia, CIS nations

Russia, Ukraine account for around 80% of India's exports to CIS countries

Exporters are readying back-up routes to send their shipments to the nations belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including Russia, as the war in Ukraine continues to intensify.

Three routes are being explored. The first is the China route using Qingdao port. The second is the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) route that connects Mumbai to Moscow via Iran and Azerbaijan. The other is the one that traverses between Hamburg in Germany and Poti port in Georgia, industry sources said.

Right now, shipping lines to Russia via the Black Sea are suspended. Even if the war ends, the