India's development of Iran's Chabahar Port is not only highly beneficial to landlocked Central Asian nations but also mitigates commercial risks between India and Eurasia, as highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, representing Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Astana, shared these remarks during the extended format meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in the Kazakh capital.
Modi emphasized the necessity of addressing challenges while actively seeking collaborative avenues for progress. He noted, "The current global debate is focused on creating new connectivity linkages that would better serve a rebalanced world."
He further stressed that significant progress requires collective effort, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-discriminatory trade and transit rights among neighbors. "For the SCO extended family, we flag the progress made on Chabahar port recently through a long-term agreement between India and Iran. This not only holds great value to landlocked Central Asian states but also de-risks commerce between India and Eurasia," he said.
Chabahar Port, situated on the Gulf of Oman, was first proposed for development by India in 2003. It serves as a critical gateway for Indian goods to reach landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia via the International North-South Transport Corridor, effectively bypassing Pakistan.
Development of the port was initially delayed due to U.S. sanctions on Iran related to its nuclear program. However, in May, India signed a 10-year agreement to operate the strategic port, facilitating increased trade with Central Asia.
Last year, India used Chabahar Port to send 20,000 tonnes of wheat aid to Afghanistan and, in 2021, to supply environmentally friendly pesticides to Iran. This marks the first instance of India managing an overseas port, which is expected to significantly boost trade among India, Iran, and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan to tap into Central Asia's potential.
India has been involved in developing a section of Chabahar Port since discussions began during Iranian President Muhammad Khatami’s visit to India in 2003. Leveraging Chabahar Port allows India to bypass Pakistan, gaining direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The Kandla Port in Gujarat is the nearest Indian port to Chabahar, located 550 nautical miles away, with the distance between Chabahar and Mumbai being 786 nautical miles.
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