The Crisis In The Middle East

Places in News: Zangezur Corridor

Why in the News?

The aftermath of Operation Sindoor highlights India’s strategic concerns over the proposed Zangezur Corridor in Armenia backed by Azerbaijan and Turkiye.

Zangezur Corridor

About the Zangezur Corridor:

  • What it is: The Zangezur Corridor is a proposed land route through Armenia’s Syunik Province that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan region, cutting across Armenian land.
  • Who supports it: Azerbaijan and Turkiye back the project. They want a direct link without Armenian border checks or customs interference.
  • Route Details: The corridor would be about 43–44 km long and pass near the Iran-Armenia border, giving it high geopolitical value.
  • Why it’s controversial:
    • Azerbaijan sees it as a post-war right after its win in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
    • Armenia insists it must have full control and sovereignty over any transport through its territory.
  • Turkiye’s Interest: It wants to use this corridor as part of its Middle Corridor project to connect with Central Asia and Europe via land routes.
  • Opposition: Iran and Armenia oppose the corridor, fearing it could:
    • Isolate Armenia,
    • Weaken Iranian access, and
    • Threaten Armenia’s territorial integrity.

How it concerns India?

  • Strategic Ties: India is a key defence partner for Armenia and supports regional stability in the South Caucasus.
  • Trade Ambitions: India is:
    • Developing Chabahar Port in Iran,
    • Working on a transport route via Iran–Armenia–Georgia to Europe, bypassing Pakistan and the Suez Canal.
  • Concerns: If the Zangezur Corridor bypasses Armenian control, it could:
    • Disrupt India’s land trade route to Europe,
    • Reduce Iran’s regional access,
    • Weaken India’s strategic reach.
  • Larger Geo-Politics: Turkiye and Azerbaijan’s growing influence in the region is worrying for India, especially since Turkiye opposes India’s IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Corridor).
  • India’s Stand: India supports Armenia’s sovereignty and opposes unilateral moves, aiming to:
    • Protect its trade routes,
    • Preserve strategic balance, and
    • Counter regional encirclement.
[UPSC 2023] Consider the following pairs:

Regions often mentioned in news : Reason for being in news

1. North Kivu and Ituri : War between Armenia an Azerbaijan

2. Nagorno-Karabakh : Insurgency in Mozambique

3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia : Dispute between Israel and Lebanon How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Options: (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None *

 

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