Photo: AFP/Cfoto/Nurphoto
Shoxjaxon Sikhnazarov
25/11/2025 08:00
Along the Silk Road, not only commercial goods—such as silk, wood, precious stones, paper, and handicrafts—but also ideas, technologies, scientific achievements, and cultural traditions spread. Therefore, the Silk Road holds particular importance in the development of humanity as a “bridge of civilizations.”
In the 21st century, as global economic integration deepens, 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, supply chains and logistics efficiency have become key factors determining countries’ competitiveness. From this perspective, developing transport infrastructure across the Eurasian continent is crucial not only for economic impact but also for geopolitical stability and regional cooperation.
According to World Bank reports, every U.S. dollar invested in sustainable infrastructure generates an average GDP growth of four dollars. This clearly demonstrates the importance of transport projects as drivers of economic growth.
Attention is therefore being paid to the necessity of creating an inclusive transport system along the “East–West” and “North–South” corridors, which will contribute to the effective development of the economic potential of SCO countries.
To bring domestic products to global markets at competitive prices, Uzbekistan needs to develop additional export trade routes to countries such as China, those in 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, the 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 China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan routes.
Specifically, the strategic railway project China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan, which is progressing 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.
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 projected to reach 15 million tons. Modern transit and logistics centers, warehouses, and terminals will also be constructed along the route.
Thus, the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan route can elevate not only transport infrastructure but also the region’s economic integration 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 China–Europe and China–South Asia routes will be reduced by approximately 900 km and 1,000 km, respectively, and the transit time will decrease by about 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 regional countries with 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 of the 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 represents 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 among nations.
The author is Chief Specialist of the Center for the Study of Transport Problems in Uzbekistan
