India-Iran Ministers agree on development of Port Chabahar

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Jan 2024 16:52
4 Shares

The Iranian government reported the successful conclusion of negotiations and the proposal for a joint transport committee to enhance transit capabilities.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar holds a meeting with Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash to finalize an agreement for the development of the Chabahar port in southern Iran. (X, @DrSJaishankar)

The Foreign Minister of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, along with Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash met on Monday in Tehran to discuss the finalization of an agreement for the development of the Chabahar port in southern Iran, as reported by the Iranian government.

"During the negotiations between the minister of roads and urban development of our country and India's foreign minister, a final agreement has been reached with India on the development of the Chabahar port," the government said in a statement on Telegram.

Bazrpash proposed the establishment of a collaborative transport committee to the top Indian diplomat. The minister suggested that forming such a committee would enhance transit capabilities through the International North–South Transport Corridor, as outlined in the statement.

On his part, Jaishankar conveyed India's preparedness to initiate a fresh round of investments in Iran's transport and transit sectors. The statement also mentioned that Jaishankar extended an invitation to Bazrpash to visit India.

Chabahar stands as Iran's sole oceanic port, strategically located on the Gulf of Oman, near the Pakistani border, opening direct access to the Indian Ocean.

The International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road routes for moving freight between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and North Europe.

The corridor is packed with seaports on the Gulf and in the Caspian region, along with road and rail routes. The rail route from Iran to Russia is anticipated to be a game-changer, bringing a whole new world of economic benefits to both parties. But it is still a work in progress.

In July 2023, President Ebrahim Raisi urged relevant institutions to accelerate the port's development within the framework of the INSTC.