Tajikistan continues to underutilize its strategic potential in the infrastructure and logistics sector — an area that could serve as a powerful growth driver for accelerated industrialization. This was stated by Tajik political analyst Abdughani Mamadazimov in an interview with Asia-Plus, where he outlined how the country could transform into a “central caravan hub of vast Eurasia.”
A railway from ocean to ocean
Mamadazimov points to the need for designing and building a railway line linking Dushanbe with Lakhsh, northern Pamir, and China’s Kashgar, along with an alternative parallel route through Murgab.
Following the signing of the historic Khujand Declaration of eternal friendship between Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan quickly began discussions with China on constructing a second railway link. The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is already under rapid construction, while Kazakhstan is building its third railway line to China.
Against this backdrop, Tajikistan is lagging behind. A recent freight train derailment in Yovon, the expert says, highlighted serious shortcomings in the management of the national railway system.
The joint declaration signed by President Emomali Rahmon and Chinese President Xi Jinping during Xi’s visit to Tajikistan in July 2024 emphasized the importance of a railway connection between the two countries.
Mamadazimov believes Tajikistan should urgently begin designing the Dushanbe–Kashgar railway route, taking advantage of the country’s ability to adopt the European rail gauge standard used in China, Iran, and Turkiye.
Extending this railway through northern Afghanistan to Iran could create the shortest transcontinental rail corridor linking the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Strategic advantages
According to the expert, the project would bring three major benefits. It would provide a second strategic transport route to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, reduce vulnerability to natural disasters, open new rail and road access to China and South Asia, and significantly boost trade and transit volumes.
For comparison, Tajikistan’s bilateral trade with China totaled just over $2 billion over the first ten months of 2025, while Kyrgyzstan’s two-trade with China exceeded $25 billion over the same ten-month period.
The railway, combined with the construction of a cargo air hub in Danghara, could turn Tajikistan into a key logistics hub of Eurasia, lower transport costs, and give new momentum to the country’s “open skies” policy.
An alternative Dushanbe–Khujand road
Mamadazimov also highlights the importance of building an alternative highway between Dushanbe and Khujand through the Rasht Valley and Kuhistoni Mastchoh (Mountainous Mastchoh). The project could include two tunnels, one of which could accommodate a water canal for irrigating over 100,000 hectares of land, strengthening food security.
The new road would reduce the risk of regional isolation and provide a major boost to tourism.
A unified railway network
In the long term, the expert advocates for a unified national railway network connecting Pamir, central and northern Tajikistan with China, Uzbekistan, CIS member nations, the Middle East, and Europe.
Without the implementation of such large-scale infrastructure and logistics projects, Mamadazimov warns, Tajikistan risks remaining on the margins of global development, regardless of economic growth figures and major energy projects.
