Work on to activate Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor, says Russian diplomat

The Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) is being activated, and it will take some time, Valerii Khodzhaev, Consul General of the Russian Federation for South India in Chennai, said on Thursday (December 18, 2025).

Responding to a query during an interaction with journalists, Mr. Khodzhaev pointed out that the corridor was mentioned in the joint statement following the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit earlier this month.

The Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor “certainly has a great future” and “at this point, we are working on activating this route. I think it will take time,” Mr. Khodzhaev said at the Russian Center for Science and Culture on Kasturi Ranga Road in Chennai.

To a query on the Indian government’s Bill in Parliament seeking to allow privatisation in the nuclear sector, the Russian diplomat said that it was understandable that India would like to expedite the development of its nuclear domestic industry. “We are ready to work with India, not just with the State but also with the private sector in this area,” he said, adding that there was already some kind of cooperation in critical areas of construction of nuclear power plants.

He believed it would expand cooperation not just in direct use of nuclear energy but also in its additional application, such as radiology and medicine, among others. Mr. Khodzhaev termed the State visit of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to India earlier this month “a major milestone.”

Director of the Russian House in Chennai Aleksander Dodonov listed out activities in south India, promoting cultural and academic ties. On the occasion, Mr. Khodzhaev presented the personal commendation of the Head of the Federal Agency Russotrudnichestvo (Russian House) to Mr. Dodonov, Head of the Russian Language Institute in RCSC Valentina Mayorova, and Media Manager Evgenia Solovchuk for conscientious performance of official duties.

He also presented a letter of appreciation from the Russian Society Znaniye to Ms. Solovchuk for her contribution to educational activities. He also presented a diploma to Administrative Officer S. Baskar and Cultural Relations Officer A. Ariff Basha for active work in developing international humanitarian and public relations.