CHABAHAR PORT
India has invested heavily in Iran particularly at the Chabahar Port, seen as a gateway for the Indian goods to reach the Gulf and Europe without going via Pakistan. New Delhi also views the port as an important way to counteract the Gwadar Port in Pakistan which is being developed with the help of Chinese assistant in Pakistan.
The port is being developed by the government owned company, Indian Ports
Global Ltd, although private companies are expected to bid for the subcontracts
for the development of this port. New Delhi has said it will allow them to do
so in Rupees, bypassing the US sanctions.
A spokesperson for the Indian
Government said, “India has always maintained that the Iranian nuclear issue
should be peacefully resolved through dialogue and diplomacy by respecting
Iran’s right for peaceful use of the nuclear energy.”
From Chabahar Port and using it for trade with Afghanistan and Central
Asia has long been New Delhi’s way of bypassing Pakistan which doesnot allow
Indian goods to pass through its territories. From Chabahar , the existing
Iranian road network links Zaranj in Afghanistan about 883 km from the port.
The Zaranj Delam road constructed by India in 2009 can give access to several
major towns inside Afghanistan like Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar e Sharif
.However with the US sanctions expected
to hit Iran hard, Chahabar’s transition to bustling Trade and transport hub
will remain unfulfilled for a while. The port will cut the transport of the
Indian goods to the region by one-third.
Indian investment in the Phase-I of the Chahabar Port is around USD 200
million, including USD 150 million from the EXIM bank. Iran had offered India
to operate the Phase I of the port until the second Phase of the port is being
built.
This port when functional to the full extent will not only boost India’s trade and commerce in the region but also will help in improving the connectivity in the region.
This port when functional to the full extent will not only boost India’s trade and commerce in the region but also will help in improving the connectivity in the region.
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