India likely to take control of Chabahar Port in Iran
This will be the first time when India will assume operational control of a port overseas.
This will be the first time when India will assume operational control of a port overseas.
Landlocked Afghanistan faces many issues related to trade as it has to cross Iran or Pakistan to reach water ports as the seaports accelerate the rate of international trade and act as an inhibitor in trade cost.
Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Qasemi expressed Tehran's intention during his meeting with visiting India's Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal in Tehran earlier this week.
For India, the Chabahar Port is a much-needed project for sea access to landlocked Afghanistan. The port has also emerged as a commercial transit hub for the region.
Given India's own civilisational-cultural-economic stakes with Iran, the drift of Tehran towards Beijing could not have come at a worse time. With Indias own geostrategic investments in the Chabahar port in Iran faltering, detrimental developments in Afghanistan, and the commercial implications of being unable to conduct Indo-Iranian trade due to the sanctions, the overall situation is grim. The possible linkages of the Chabahar imperatives with the Gwadar facility could be disastrous for Delhi. Besides, an energy-hungry economy like India always counted upon the Iranians as amongst the top three suppliers of oil
Swaraj informed the gathering that Iran was holding the Chabahar Day International Conference on February 26 at the Chabahar port to introduce to the invited delegations the capacities of the port.
Zarif’s visit is taking place close on the heels of India taking over operations at the Chabahar port that provides New Delhi a critical link to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
The India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) company opened its office and took over operations at the key port.
The spokesperson noted that India was a major importer of crude oil from Iran. This was very important for its own energy security needs.
The first consignment of 20 tonnes of pine nuts was despatched from Kabul to China on Tuesday.
