NEW DELHI, August 7. /TASS/. Russia has invited BRICS member states to participate in the development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as investors and operators, Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Alexey Gruzdev told TASS following the BRICS ministerial meeting in Jaipur.

"We supported the discussion on logistics. The promotion of industrial products is impossible without an efficient transport infrastructure. Therefore, we proposed considering the establishment of transport and logistics hubs within the member states to ensure the seamless movement of manufactured goods," Gruzdev said.

According to the Deputy Minister, the Russian delegation presented its experience in developing the Northern Sea Route as an alternative international transit corridor.

"I highlighted the Northern Sea Route because it is a viable and completely safe alternative to existing routes. This is a promising project, and we are interested in scaling up cargo traffic along it," he noted.

He stressed that Russia invites BRICS nations to engage in building out the NSR infrastructure. "This requires developing port and warehousing facilities along the route, shipbuilding, marine equipment manufacturing, and fleet operations. We have invited BRICS countries to participate in the development of the Northern Sea Route as investors, partners, and operators," Gruzdev stated.

He added that the Northern Sea Route has the potential to become an effective alternative to traditional maritime routes.

"It provides an alternative passage to Europe. The shorter distance reduces delivery times, fuel expenses, freight rates, and other transportation costs," he said.

The Deputy Minister also pointed out that the extending navigation window serves as an additional advantage for the corridor. "Climate change is often seen as a challenge, but in this case, it leads to an extension of the navigation season. The Northern Sea Route can now be utilized for longer periods throughout the year," he explained.

NSR gains relevance amid instability of traditional routes

Gruzdev also noted that the route is gaining particular relevance against the backdrop of instability along traditional trade channels. "Given the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, this serves as a very strong alternative. Our Indian colleagues are already showing interest in bilateral cooperation. Of course, these processes are not moving as fast as we would like, because global trade is currently undergoing profound shifts. We are not imposing anything on anyone. we are highlighting the opportunities and our development plans, and inviting partners to cooperate," the Deputy Minister concluded.

The Northern Sea Route is a shipping route in the Russian Arctic that runs along Russia's northern shores of the Arctic Ocean seas (the Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi and Bering Seas). It connects the Russian Federation's European and Far Eastern ports, as well as mouths of navigable Siberian rivers, into a single transport system. NSR's length from the Kara Gate Strait to the Providence Bay is 5,600 km. In 2025, cargo traffic along the NSR totaled 37.02 million tonnes.