India Highlights Chabahar Port's Potential for Afghanistan, Central Asia

India said on Friday that although landlocked Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the entire region would benefit from the long-term agreement between Tehran and New Delhi on the Chabahar port project, a “narrow view” should not be adopted.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks a few days after the US threatened to impose sanctions in response to India and Iran concluding the agreement.

India and Iran signed a ten-year deal on Monday that permits Indian operations at the Chabahar port.

“India’s commitment towards the Chabahar port is to realise its potential as a connectivity hub for Afghanistan and Central Asian countries, which are landlocked,” Mr Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.

He said an Indian company — India Ports Global Limited — has been operating the port since 2018 on an interim lease.

“Now, we have concluded a long-term agreement which is essential for port operations,” Mr Jaiswal said.

“Since then, we have provided humanitarian assistance, including 85,000 metric tons of wheat, 200 metric tons of pulses and 40,000 litres of pesticide Malathion, to Afghanistan through this port,” he said.

Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran’s southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.

“The US has shown an understanding of the importance of the Chabahar port operations for continued humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and to provide Afghanistan with economic alternatives,” Mr Jaiswal said.

“I would like to reiterate what the EAM (External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar) had earlier said that we should not take a narrow view of this issue,” he said.

Mr. Jaishankar stated two days ago that the agreement between Iran and India to develop the Chabahar port should not be viewed narrowly because the project will benefit the entire region. According to Mr. Jaiswal, the construction of the Chabahar port will help the whole region, especially Central Asia and landlocked Afghanistan.

“The US has, in the recent past, appreciated the larger relevance of the Chabahar project, particularly in the context of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan,” he said.