This article examines, from an academic perspective, a profound structural transformation in Eurasian geopolitics: the evolution of the Central Asia Five (C5) format into the ‘C6’ platform, with Azerbaijan’s fully fledged participation, and the impact of this process on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor, TITR). Global shocks between 2020 and 2022, particularly the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, accelerated the search for alternatives to traditional northern transport routes, thus making trans-Caspian connectivity a strategic necessity. Azerbaijan’s admission, as a fully fledged participant, into the Central Asian consultative mechanism at the 7th Summit in Tashkent in November 2025 transformed the region from a mere arena of great power competition into a strategic actor capable of shaping its own destiny. This article analyses the institutionalisation process of the C6 structure, inter-state allied relations in the region, energy security parameters and Türkiye’s catalytic role in this integration process. The findings demonstrate that the C6 format is not merely a logistical network but the institutional core of a new security and trade architecture in Eurasia.