Describing connectivity of "paramount" importance, a senior Iranian official said both India and Iran are "working" together on Chabahar port. Situated in the Sistan and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-iranian-security-forces-killed-in-sistan-baluchistan-terror-attack-775060">Baluchistan Province</a>, Chabahar is Iran's only oceanic port with direct access to the Indian Ocean. In May 2024, India and Iran signed a 10-year contract for India to operate and manage the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/top-iran-diplomat-dr-takht-ravanchi-to-visit-delhi-786699">Top Iran diplomat Dr Takht Ravanchi to visit Delhi</a>
This agreement includes investments of approximately $120 million by India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), along with a $250 million credit line for mutually identified projects. The officials said both sides are doing "good things" on the port, pointing out that the US has given exemptions from its sanctions as well.&nbsp;
The official said that India needs to be "forthcoming" to give visas to Iranians. Last year, Iran announced a visa-free regime for Indian tourists travelling to the country. Indian tourists can stay in the country visa-free for 15 days, and the exemption can be used once every six months.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/absurd-irans-supreme-leader-khamenei-denies-using-proxies-in-west-asia-785976">Iran's Khamenei rejects &lsquo;proxy force&rsquo; accusations, says Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis act independently</a>
On energy, the official pointed out that Tehran doesn't want to create hardship for Delhi when it comes to importing energy from the west Asian country. Iran was once one of India's major oil suppliers, but that changed after 2018. The US had imposed sanctions on the country that year, which led to a significant reduction and eventual halt in Indian imports of Iranian oil.
On international affairs, the official explained that if incoming President Donald Trump reimposes the "maximum pressure" policy, it will fail. In his first term, Trump imposed that policy, which included withdrawal from the JCPOA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-three-european-nations-to-hold-nuclear-talks-on-january-13-8585517">nuclear deal</a> and the imposition of more stringent sanctions, among other things. Meanwhile, Tehran and Moscow are set to sign a strategic partnership in mid-January.

World: Chabahar is Iran's only oceanic port with direct access to the Indian Ocean. In May 2024, India and Iran signed a 10-year contract for India to operate and manage the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar.

Describing connectivity of "paramount" importance, a senior Iranian official said both India and Iran are "working" together on Chabahar port. Situated in the Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Chabahar is Iran's only oceanic port with direct access to the Indian Ocean. In May 2024, India and Iran signed a 10-year contract for India to operate and manage the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar. Also read: Top Iran diplomat Dr Takht Ravanchi to visit Delhi This agreement includes investments of approximately $120 million by India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), along with a $250 million credit line for mutually identified projects. The officials said both sides are doing "good things" on the port, pointing out that the US has given exemptions from its sanctions as well. The official said that India needs to be "forthcoming" to give visas to Iranians. Last year, Iran announced a visa-free regime for Indian tourists travelling to the country. Indian tourists can stay in the country visa-free for 15 days, and the exemption can be used once every six months. Also read: Iran's Khamenei rejects ‘proxy force’ accusations, says Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis act independently On energy, the official pointed out that Tehran doesn't want to create hardship for Delhi when it comes to importing energy from the west Asian country. Iran was once one of India's major oil suppliers, but that changed after 2018. The US had imposed sanctions on the country that year, which led to a significant reduction and eventual halt in Indian imports of Iranian oil. On international affairs, the official explained that if incoming President Donald Trump reimposes the "maximum pressure" policy, it will fail. In his first term, Trump imposed that policy, which included withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal and the imposition of more stringent sanctions, among other things. Meanwhile, Tehran and Moscow are set to sign a strategic partnership in mid-January.

India, Iran working together on Chabahar: Senior Iranian Official

In a significant development, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has voiced strong support for the Chabahar Port, terming it an alternative to Pakistan’s Karachi Port for Afghanistan’s trade needs. Mujahid’s endorsement comes weeks after India and Iran signed a 10-year&nbsp;contract on the development of the port.

"Afghanistan heavily relies on Pakistani ports like Karachi for its imports and exports. However, Chabahar offers an alternative route, reducing Afghanistan’s dependence on a single corridor and enhancing its economic independence," Mujahid stated.

The Taliban spokesperson emphasised that the Port, located in southeastern Iran and developed with Indian assistance, facilitates trade diversification.

"Chabahar Port facilitates trade diversification by providing access to India, Central Asia, and beyond. This diversification is crucial for Afghanistan’s economic stability and growth," he noted.

The port’s strategic location allows Afghanistan to engage with multiple trading partners and get access to the vital Indian Ocean.

He highlighted that Chabahar offers enhanced trade connectivity, which is transformative for Afghanistan.&nbsp;

"Chabahar Port represents a transformative opportunity for Afghanistan, offering enhanced trade connectivity, economic diversification, and regional integration," Mujahid remarked.

The port is also seen as key to the International north-south transport corridor, that is Mumbai to Moscow via Tehran, Baku etc.

Mujahid stressed on the importance of improving Afghanistan’s connectivity infrastructure to maximise the benefits of Chabahar Port.&nbsp;

"Efforts to improve and expand connectivity networks, such as roads and railways, are essential for seamless trade flow through Chabahar," he said.

In 2016, Iran, India and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement to develop Chabahar Port as a vital transportation and trade corridor.

Additionally, Mujahid called for sustained political support and diplomatic efforts to ensure the long-term success of the Chabahar project.&nbsp;

"Afghanistan’s political support is crucial for sustaining and advancing the Chabahar project. Continued collaboration with Iran and India is necessary to overcome challenges and secure the port’s long-term success," he stated.

It is important to note that days after India and Iran concluded a 10-year agreement on the development of Chabahar Port, the United States warned that Indian firms engaging with the port could face sanctions. This represents a significant shift from the US's 2018 decision to grant carve-outs on Iran sanctions, specifically for Chabahar.

As a landlocked nation, Afghanistan faces significant challenges in accessing international markets. Mujahid, in an extensive statement, pointed out that Chabahar Port provides a vital gateway for Afghanistan to gain effective and continuous access to regional and global markets.

"The Chabahar Port will provide an opportunity for Afghanistan to gain effective and continuous access to regional and international markets through this port," he said.

In a significant development, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has voiced strong support for the Chabahar Port, terming it an alternative to Pakistan’s Karachi Port for Afghanistan’s trade needs.

In a significant development, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has voiced strong support for the Chabahar Port, terming it an alternative to Pakistan’s Karachi Port for Afghanistan’s trade needs. Mujahid’s endorsement comes weeks after India and Iran signed a 10-year contract on the development of the port. "Afghanistan heavily relies on Pakistani ports like Karachi for its imports and exports. However, Chabahar offers an alternative route, reducing Afghanistan’s dependence on a single corridor and enhancing its economic independence," Mujahid stated. The Taliban spokesperson emphasised that the Port, located in southeastern Iran and developed with Indian assistance, facilitates trade diversification. "Chabahar Port facilitates trade diversification by providing access to India, Central Asia, and beyond. This diversification is crucial for Afghanistan’s economic stability and growth," he noted. The port’s strategic location allows Afghanistan to engage with multiple trading partners and get access to the vital Indian Ocean. He highlighted that Chabahar offers enhanced trade connectivity, which is transformative for Afghanistan. "Chabahar Port represents a transformative opportunity for Afghanistan, offering enhanced trade connectivity, economic diversification, and regional integration," Mujahid remarked. The port is also seen as key to the International north-south transport corridor, that is Mumbai to Moscow via Tehran, Baku etc. Mujahid stressed on the importance of improving Afghanistan’s connectivity infrastructure to maximise the benefits of Chabahar Port. "Efforts to improve and expand connectivity networks, such as roads and railways, are essential for seamless trade flow through Chabahar," he said. In 2016, Iran, India and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement to develop Chabahar Port as a vital transportation and trade corridor. Additionally, Mujahid called for sustained political support and diplomatic efforts to ensure the long-term success of the Chabahar project. "Afghanistan’s political support is crucial for sustaining and advancing the Chabahar project. Continued collaboration with Iran and India is necessary to overcome challenges and secure the port’s long-term success," he stated. It is important to note that days after India and Iran concluded a 10-year agreement on the development of Chabahar Port, the United States warned that Indian firms engaging with the port could face sanctions. This represents a significant shift from the US's 2018 decision to grant carve-outs on Iran sanctions, specifically for Chabahar. As a landlocked nation, Afghanistan faces significant challenges in accessing international markets. Mujahid, in an extensive statement, pointed out that Chabahar Port provides a vital gateway for Afghanistan to gain effective and continuous access to regional and global markets. "The Chabahar Port will provide an opportunity for Afghanistan to gain effective and continuous access to regional and international markets through this port," he said.

Taliban endorse Chabahar Port, highlight it as an alternative to Karachi

In a significant development, India and Iran on Monday (Jan 15) reached an agreement on further development of Chabahar port. The move came following visiting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's meeting with Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash where the two held discussions over establishing a "long-term cooperation framework" for the port, a strategic maritime facility situated on the southeastern coast of Iran.

Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Iran as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides, took to his official X account and shared that both the ministers also exchanged views on the International North-South Transport Corridor.

"Began my engagements in Tehran by meeting Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash. Detailed and productive discussion on establishing a long-term cooperation framework with respect to Chabahar port. Also exchanged views on the International North-South Transport Corridor," he wrote.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Began my engagements in Tehran by meeting Minister of Roads and Urban Development <a href="https://twitter.com/mehrdadbazrpash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mehrdadbazrpash</a>. 
 
Detailed and productive discussion on establishing a long-term cooperation framework with respect to Chabahar port. Also exchanged views on the International North-South… <a href="https://t.co/mDBxfHV690">pic.twitter.com/mDBxfHV690</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1746831889225449584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Bazrpash additionally proposed setting up a joint transport committee for the expansion of bilateral cooperation, stating that the formation of the committee would boost&nbsp;the transit capabilities&nbsp;and usage of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), as per Iran's Tasnim News Agency.

In August 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi where the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and leveraging Chabahar Port to its full potential as a centre for connectivity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-holds-phone-call-with-putin-to-discuss-regional-and-global-issues-including-brics-680262">PM Modi holds phone call with Putin to discuss regional and global issues</a>

"The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation including to realize the full potential of Chabahar Port as a connectivity hub," Prime Minister's Office said in a press release.

WATCH |&nbsp;India: EAM S Jaishankar's two-day visit to Iran amid rising tensions in West Asia

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<h2>Chabahar Port and India's connectivity initiatives</h2>

The Iranian port of Chabahar plays a significant role in India's connectivity initiatives as it provides a more economical and stable route for trade between India, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.&nbsp;

INSTC is a multi-modal transportation route that connects the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea via Iran and then travels via St. Petersburg, Russia, to northern Europe.

According to MEA, India has utilised the Chabahar port to ship 75,000 MTs of wheat as humanitarian food assistance to Afghanistan in the year 2020. In 2021, India supplied 40,000 litres of environment-friendly pesticides to Iran to fight the locust menace. The port has also been utilised by the Central Asian Countries to access the global market and has increased trade and economic opportunities for the traders of the region.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a significant development, India and Iran on Monday (Jan 15) reached an agreement on further development of Chabahar port. The move came following visiting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's meeting with Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash where the two held discussions over establishing a "long-term cooperation framework" for the port, a strategic maritime facility situated on the southeastern coast of Iran.

In a significant development, India and Iran on Monday (Jan 15) reached an agreement on further development of Chabahar port. The move came following visiting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's meeting with Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash where the two held discussions over establishing a "long-term cooperation framework" for the port, a strategic maritime facility situated on the southeastern coast of Iran. Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Iran as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides, took to his official X account and shared that both the ministers also exchanged views on the International North-South Transport Corridor. "Began my engagements in Tehran by meeting Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash. Detailed and productive discussion on establishing a long-term cooperation framework with respect to Chabahar port. Also exchanged views on the International North-South Transport Corridor," he wrote. Began my engagements in Tehran by meeting Minister of Roads and Urban Development @mehrdadbazrpash. Detailed and productive discussion on establishing a long-term cooperation framework with respect to Chabahar port. Also exchanged views on the International North-South… pic.twitter.com/mDBxfHV690 — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 15, 2024 × Bazrpash additionally proposed setting up a joint transport committee for the expansion of bilateral cooperation, stating that the formation of the committee would boost the transit capabilities and usage of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), as per Iran's Tasnim News Agency. In August 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi where the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and leveraging Chabahar Port to its full potential as a centre for connectivity. Also read: PM Modi holds phone call with Putin to discuss regional and global issues "The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation including to realize the full potential of Chabahar Port as a connectivity hub," Prime Minister's Office said in a press release. WATCH | India: EAM S Jaishankar's two-day visit to Iran amid rising tensions in West Asia × Chabahar Port and India's connectivity initiatives The Iranian port of Chabahar plays a significant role in India's connectivity initiatives as it provides a more economical and stable route for trade between India, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. INSTC is a multi-modal transportation route that connects the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea via Iran and then travels via St. Petersburg, Russia, to northern Europe. According to MEA, India has utilised the Chabahar port to ship 75,000 MTs of wheat as humanitarian food assistance to Afghanistan in the year 2020. In 2021, India supplied 40,000 litres of environment-friendly pesticides to Iran to fight the locust menace. The port has also been utilised by the Central Asian Countries to access the global market and has increased trade and economic opportunities for the traders of the region. (With inputs from agencies)

India, Iran reach pact to further develop Chabahar port as minister Jaishankar visits

The envoy of Kyrgyz Republic Asein Isaev has said that India and Iran are working to prove&nbsp;Central Asian countries "own part" in the Chabahar port with the aim to smoothen the transport of goods.

Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Envoy Isaev said,"If we are going to use Chabahar port, the duration of delivery of good from India to Kyrgyzstan will be just two&nbsp;weeks from the current 30 or 45 days using different ports."&nbsp;&nbsp;

India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Terminal, Chabahar Port in cooperation with the Iranian government since December of 2018 port has handled 160 vessels, 14,420 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) and 3.2 million tons of bulk and general cargo.

Calling India Central Asia summit as "historic" he highlighted how it can strengthen ties. The first summit too took place last month and it has been decided that a summit-level meet will take place every two&nbsp;years. He also spoke on the situation in Afghanistan and said, "We would like to involve Afghanistan in India Central Asia process. We can live together in the region."

WION: How do you view the India Central Asia summit?

Asein Isaev: The summit is a historic event. When I arrived in India, before my arrival, I imagined India as ancient and incredible.

I am from Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan and I am interested in history, I know about trade and&nbsp;cultural exchanges.

One of the most prominent exchanges of culture was between India and Central Asia. But for decades, ties between India and Central Asia was unfortunately interrupted.

This year the&nbsp;head of states of five&nbsp;central Asian countries and India's PM connected together and thought how we can restore historical ties and that is how&nbsp;the historic event took place. It is a&nbsp;nice opportunity that has come&nbsp;30 years of establishment of ties during India's 75th Independence anniversary.

Our President has visited India six&nbsp;times, leaders of Central Aisa have visited India many times while the Indian president and PM visited our country as well. India's PM&nbsp;suggested the summit format, dialogue between India and Central Asia.&nbsp; The top of the dialogue was the meeting of the head of state. Central Asia has this format with US, EU, Japan and Korea. I know some other countries would like to have ​dialogue but it has not happened. It has happened with India and will see how we can further strengthen this format. All in all it is a&nbsp;landmark.

WION: How will it help strengthen ties. When can we expect the next summit. Will Kyrgyzstan be keen to host the summit?

Asein Isaev: Heads of state agreed that this summit will take place every two&nbsp;years and is an important outcome of the summit.

We have historic links and no problem and decided on concrete issues. Next time one of the Central Asian countries will host it and Kyrgyzstan will happy to host such a huge event but it will be decided through diplomatic channels.

We had ministerial dialogue in December and EAM Jaishankar had that time suggested some kind of picture on how the summit can be organized. Every two&nbsp;years the summit will happen but also every year minister of external affairs, minister of defence, minister of commerce and culture and tourism will meet. When they will meet, the focus will be on concrete outcomes. This is the mechanism and after two&nbsp;years we will report during the summit.

WION: How do you&nbsp;see India Kyrgyzstan ties?

Asein Isaev: Bilaterally we have very good relations and now in Central Asia we have seen integration.

Leaders gather every year and even more and have their own integration process. We have joint projects and we can realiSe it with huge and big countries like India.

India and Central Asia have security cooperation, we have joint military exercises, we have a joint mountain research centre in Bishkek, we have more 50,000 Indian students in Kyrgyzstan and I am very proud about it.&nbsp;Our government is very careful about&nbsp;them. Even now our minister of education asked universities how Indian students are being taken care of. Indian students are happy in the country and many have reached high ranking positions.

To strengthen historic ties, we need to have economic ties. I have noted, big interest from Indian businesses in my country. Four&nbsp;delegations have come to my country from India. They connected with local businesses and have their own projects like hospitals, agriculture and&nbsp;railway.

Our honey and dry fruits are popular in your country. Kyrgyz people are keen to work with Indians. India is helping in high impact projects worth $30 million. We understand India is a developing country. We appreciate India's help and its remarkable. We will build schools and bridges. $200 million (Line of credit) LOC is being extended by India and if this agreement will be signed, it will very good to strengthen business ties.

More big countries could come to my country as part of the LOC. &nbsp;We have the same position on several issues and this LOC can be used in ecological projects like green energy.

WION: On connectivity, will your country be keen to use Chabahar port?

Asein Isaev: Connectivity is one of the main issues. The Government&nbsp;of Central Asian countries and India must build&nbsp;conditions to ease connections. If we going to use the Chabahar port, the duration of delivery of goods from India to Kyrgyzstan will be just two&nbsp;weeks from the current 30 or 45 days using different ports.

India and the Iranian government would like to provide their own part in Chabahar. There will be part for Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan....we can use that part ourselves. From Mumbai to Chabahar to Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan, we agreed processes should not be complicated to cross borders, customs etc. It's a good thing and a lot of businesses are keen that it happens soon. The minister of transports will meet and discuss details.

WION: On Afghanistan, what kind of conversation did you have&nbsp;at the summit?&nbsp;How much is it a worry for you?

Asein Isaev: We are talking about India and Central Asia, as one region with both sides being close to each other. But how can we talk about the region without mentioning&nbsp;Afghanistan?

Afghanistan is part and even the heart of Central Asia. Afghanistan in the future can be part of the India-Central Asia dialogue. It is a&nbsp;natural part of Central Asia and if we have a stable peaceful state in Afghanistan, it will help trade.

From India to Kyrgyzstan via Afghanistan is just 1000 KMs. In the past, our ancestors have done business via Afghanistan. Our leaders at the summit agreed that Afghanistan is a natural part of the relations. Hope no external players will impact Afghanistan.

It is a&nbsp;&nbsp;brother country for us and we should respect their sovereignty. All heads of state agreed to support and help. Kyrgyzstan has extended humanitarian aid just like India has. We would like to involve Afghanistan in India-Central Asia process, it should be one of us. We can live together in the region.

The envoy of Kyrgyz Republic Asein Isaev has said that India and Iran are working to prove Central Asian countries "own part" in the Chabahar port with the aim to smoothen the transport of goods.

The envoy of Kyrgyz Republic Asein Isaev has said that India and Iran are working to prove Central Asian countries "own part" in the Chabahar port with the aim to smoothen the transport of goods. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Envoy Isaev said,"If we are going to use Chabahar port, the duration of delivery of good from India to Kyrgyzstan will be just two weeks from the current 30 or 45 days using different ports." India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Terminal, Chabahar Port in cooperation with the Iranian government since December of 2018 port has handled 160 vessels, 14,420 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) and 3.2 million tons of bulk and general cargo. Calling India Central Asia summit as "historic" he highlighted how it can strengthen ties. The first summit too took place last month and it has been decided that a summit-level meet will take place every two years. He also spoke on the situation in Afghanistan and said, "We would like to involve Afghanistan in India Central Asia process. We can live together in the region." WION: How do you view the India Central Asia summit? Asein Isaev: The summit is a historic event. When I arrived in India, before my arrival, I imagined India as ancient and incredible. I am from Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan and I am interested in history, I know about trade and cultural exchanges. One of the most prominent exchanges of culture was between India and Central Asia. But for decades, ties between India and Central Asia was unfortunately interrupted. This year the head of states of five central Asian countries and India's PM connected together and thought how we can restore historical ties and that is how the historic event took place. It is a nice opportunity that has come 30 years of establishment of ties during India's 75th Independence anniversary. Our President has visited India six times, leaders of Central Aisa have visited India many times while the Indian president and PM visited our country as well. India's PM suggested the summit format, dialogue between India and Central Asia. The top of the dialogue was the meeting of the head of state. Central Asia has this format with US, EU, Japan and Korea. I know some other countries would like to have dialogue but it has not happened. It has happened with India and will see how we can further strengthen this format. All in all it is a landmark. WION: How will it help strengthen ties. When can we expect the next summit. Will Kyrgyzstan be keen to host the summit? Asein Isaev: Heads of state agreed that this summit will take place every two years and is an important outcome of the summit. We have historic links and no problem and decided on concrete issues. Next time one of the Central Asian countries will host it and Kyrgyzstan will happy to host such a huge event but it will be decided through diplomatic channels. We had ministerial dialogue in December and EAM Jaishankar had that time suggested some kind of picture on how the summit can be organized. Every two years the summit will happen but also every year minister of external affairs, minister of defence, minister of commerce and culture and tourism will meet. When they will meet, the focus will be on concrete outcomes. This is the mechanism and after two years we will report during the summit. WION: How do you see India Kyrgyzstan ties? Asein Isaev: Bilaterally we have very good relations and now in Central Asia we have seen integration. Leaders gather every year and even more and have their own integration process. We have joint projects and we can realiSe it with huge and big countries like India. India and Central Asia have security cooperation, we have joint military exercises, we have a joint mountain research centre in Bishkek, we have more 50,000 Indian students in Kyrgyzstan and I am very proud about it. Our government is very careful about them. Even now our minister of education asked universities how Indian students are being taken care of. Indian students are happy in the country and many have reached high ranking positions. To strengthen historic ties, we need to have economic ties. I have noted, big interest from Indian businesses in my country. Four delegations have come to my country from India. They connected with local businesses and have their own projects like hospitals, agriculture and railway. Our honey and dry fruits are popular in your country. Kyrgyz people are keen to work with Indians. India is helping in high impact projects worth $30 million. We understand India is a developing country. We appreciate India's help and its remarkable. We will build schools and bridges. $200 million (Line of credit) LOC is being extended by India and if this agreement will be signed, it will very good to strengthen business ties. More big countries could come to my country as part of the LOC. We have the same position on several issues and this LOC can be used in ecological projects like green energy. WION: On connectivity, will your country be keen to use Chabahar port? Asein Isaev: Connectivity is one of the main issues. The Government of Central Asian countries and India must build conditions to ease connections. If we going to use the Chabahar port, the duration of delivery of goods from India to Kyrgyzstan will be just two weeks from the current 30 or 45 days using different ports. India and the Iranian government would like to provide their own part in Chabahar. There will be part for Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan....we can use that part ourselves. From Mumbai to Chabahar to Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan, we agreed processes should not be complicated to cross borders, customs etc. It's a good thing and a lot of businesses are keen that it happens soon. The minister of transports will meet and discuss details. WION: On Afghanistan, what kind of conversation did you have at the summit? How much is it a worry for you? Asein Isaev: We are talking about India and Central Asia, as one region with both sides being close to each other. But how can we talk about the region without mentioning Afghanistan? Afghanistan is part and even the heart of Central Asia. Afghanistan in the future can be part of the India-Central Asia dialogue. It is a natural part of Central Asia and if we have a stable peaceful state in Afghanistan, it will help trade. From India to Kyrgyzstan via Afghanistan is just 1000 KMs. In the past, our ancestors have done business via Afghanistan. Our leaders at the summit agreed that Afghanistan is a natural part of the relations. Hope no external players will impact Afghanistan. It is a brother country for us and we should respect their sovereignty. All heads of state agreed to support and help. Kyrgyzstan has extended humanitarian aid just like India has. We would like to involve Afghanistan in India-Central Asia process, it should be one of us. We can live together in the region.

Central Asian countries to get stake in Chabahar port, says Kyrgyz envoy Isaev

India, Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan are likely to hold a meeting under a quadrilateral framework later this year on the joint use of the Chabahar port, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

India also has proposed to include the port in the framework of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing.

At a connectivity conference in Tashkent two weeks back, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar projected Iran''s Chabahar port as a key regional transit hub including to Afghanistan.

Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar port is being increasingly seen as a fulcrum of connectivity to Central Asia.

The port is being developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan to boost trade ties among the three countries in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi. It can be easily accessed from India''s western coast, bypassing Pakistan.

Referring to Jaishankar''s remarks at the conference, Bagchi said he highlighted that India has taken practical steps since 2016 to operationalise the Chabahar port and that its "efficacy is now clearly proven".

"India has proposed to include the port in the framework of International North-South Transport Corridor and has welcomed the formation of India-Uzbekistan-Iran-Afghanistan Quadrilateral Working Group on the joint use of Chabahar port," the spokesperson said.

"The meeting is likely to take place in later half of this year. Since December 2018, Chabahar port has handled 134 vessels, 14258 TEUs of containers and more than 2.08 million metric tons of bulk and general cargo," he said.

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.

India, Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan are likely to hold a meeting under a quadrilateral framework later this year on the joint use of the Chabahar port, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

India, Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan are likely to hold a meeting under a quadrilateral framework later this year on the joint use of the Chabahar port, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. India also has proposed to include the port in the framework of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing. At a connectivity conference in Tashkent two weeks back, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar projected Iran''s Chabahar port as a key regional transit hub including to Afghanistan. Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar port is being increasingly seen as a fulcrum of connectivity to Central Asia. The port is being developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan to boost trade ties among the three countries in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi. It can be easily accessed from India''s western coast, bypassing Pakistan. Referring to Jaishankar''s remarks at the conference, Bagchi said he highlighted that India has taken practical steps since 2016 to operationalise the Chabahar port and that its "efficacy is now clearly proven". "India has proposed to include the port in the framework of International North-South Transport Corridor and has welcomed the formation of India-Uzbekistan-Iran-Afghanistan Quadrilateral Working Group on the joint use of Chabahar port," the spokesperson said. "The meeting is likely to take place in later half of this year. Since December 2018, Chabahar port has handled 134 vessels, 14258 TEUs of containers and more than 2.08 million metric tons of bulk and general cargo," he said. The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.

Quadrilateral working group on use of Chabahar port likely to meet later this year: MEA

India's envoy to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat has said that Chabahar can become a "fulcrum of transit" between India and Central Asia. The comments of the envoy come even as India, Uzbekistan, and Iran held the first trilateral talks on the use of the Chabahar project in Iran.

Speaking to WION's&nbsp;principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Uzbekistan capital Tashkent, the envoy said, "While transit through railways and trucks already takes place from Iran’s Bandar Abbas port to Central Asian countries, the need is to develop the infrastructure to connect Central Asia to the Chabahar port."

India built the Shahid Beheshti Port at Chabahar as part of the India, Iran, Afghanistan 2016 agreement to increase its connectivity with Afghanistan and beyond to central Asia. &nbsp;The Indian envoy spoke on the recent India-Uzbekistan virtual summit, pointing out that it was, "India’s first virtual summit with an important partner in Central Asia and it was Uzbekistan’s first-ever bilateral virtual summit with any country. "

During the virtual summit, the first with any central Asian country, New Delhi approved 448 million lines of credit for four projects developmental projects in the country--two in road construction and one each in sewerage treatment and information technology.

WION: Key outcomes of the India-Uzbekistan virtual meet. While it was the seventh&nbsp;such virtual summit, it was the first such virtual summit with a central Asian country. Why Uzbekistan was chosen for the first such meet in that region?

Manish Prabhat: India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership has grown by leaps and bound thanks to the regular exchanges of VVIP visits in the last few years. Prime Minister visited Uzbekistan in 2015 and 2016. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s first visit to India took place in October 2018 and soon after he visited again in January 2019 to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.&nbsp;

This year Prime Minister’s visit to Uzbekistan was on cards. However, in the situation of the ongoing pandemic, the visit was not possible. It was decided to hold a virtual summit between the two leaders to continue the momentum of our exchanges. Indeed, it became India’s first virtual summit with an important partner in Central Asia and it was Uzbekistan’s first-ever bilateral virtual summit with any country. Both sides were very satisfied with the results of the summit. The state of bilateral relations is excellent.

Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers have met and are working on a range of issues. Our multilateral cooperation in the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and in the India-Central Asia Dialogue format is set to further strengthen. Our positions on important issues like terrorism and Afghanistan are similar. India’s term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2021-22 and Uzbekistan’s first-ever stint as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for 2021-23 gives rise to new possibilities of cooperation. Uzbekistan reiterated its support for India’s permanent membership in a reformed UNSC. Both countries also called for reformed multilateralism including comprehensive reforms of the UN structures.&nbsp;

Both India and Uzbekistan have cooperated closely in tackling the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister assured of India’s continued commitment to support Uzbekistan in its fight against the pandemic. Uzbekistan is very interested in Indian vaccines for Covid-19 and has sought our support in bringing these vaccines to Uzbekistan. India is keen to expand its development partnership with Uzbekistan. India has already declared a USD one billion line of credit for development projects in Uzbekistan.

In the framework of the India-Central Asia Dialogue also, India has offered another line of credit of USD one billion for projects in the region. Both sides also signed an MoU on High Impact Community Development Projects to be undertaken in Uzbekistan under India’s grant assistance. In order to boost bilateral investment and trade, both sides are already engaged in negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty and finalizing a Joint Feasibility Study which would pave the way for starting negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement. These will bring further dividends as Uzbekistan has recently become an Observer in the Eurasian Economic Union, a market of more than 200 million people.

Both India and Uzbekistan seek to achieve a bilateral trade turnover of USD one billion but have actually reached only one-third of that landmark. A major factor inhibiting the development of closer trade and economic relationship is the absence of economic and efficient surface connectivity. Both sides believe that the Chabahar route can be the key to address this problem. A total of nine agreements and MoUs on cooperation were signed during the summit including on the line of credit, information technology, cybersecurity, solar energy, customs, standardisation, mass communication, etc. Space and civil nuclear energy are also upcoming areas of our bilateral cooperation.

WION: On connectivity, a trilateral happened between on Chabahar between India, Iran, and Uzbekistan. Chabahar is India built port, how do you see, Central Asia benefitting from it?

Manish Prabhat:&nbsp;As we are all aware, India has been pushing for encouraging the use of the Chabahar port by all Central Asian countries.&nbsp; Even during the first India-Central Asia Dialogue at the level of Foreign Ministers held in January 2019 in Samarkand, then External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj had put forth the idea of the use of Chabahar for establishing greater connectivity between India and Central Asia.&nbsp;

It is heartening to see that Uzbekistan fully supports this idea and has taken the initiative to host the first trilateral dialogue among Uzbekistan, India, and Iran on the possibilities of the joint use of Chabahar port.&nbsp; The trilateral meeting took place on 14 December at the level of Deputy Ministers of the three countries concerned with transport and logistics relating to the Chabahar port.&nbsp;

The three sides discussed the possibility of developing joint platforms and establishing commercial parameters to encourage the transit of goods through the Chabahar port.&nbsp; The idea, when taken further, would need customs administrations of the three countries, freight forwarding companies, and other stakeholders to work together.&nbsp; We would need the participation of Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries to have a wider reach for this proposal.&nbsp; While transit through railways and trucks already takes place from Iran’s Bandar Abbas port to Central Asian countries, the need is to develop the infrastructure to connect Central Asia to the Chabahar port. This will further make the route between India and Central Asia shorter and economical for the movement of containers.&nbsp;

The Chabahar port is already successfully handling the movement of goods between India and Afghanistan.&nbsp; Its success has already shown that it has the potential to become the fulcrum of transit between India and Central Asia.&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp;Uzbekistan is the first country in Central Asia with which we have started our development partners in terms of extending Lines of Credit. We have now listed 4 projects for the partnership, can you give details?

Manish Prabhat:&nbsp;As per the request of the Government of Uzbekistan, the Government of India has approved four projects to be undertaken under India’s Line of Credit in Uzbekistan.&nbsp; These projects are in the sectors of road construction, sewerage, and supply of IT equipment for education and are worth USD 448 million. These projects are also spread over different regions of Uzbekistan.&nbsp; More such projects will also be identified in the future as our total commitment is of USD 1 billion of Line of Credit.&nbsp; The Government of Uzbekistan is expected to soon make us available the Detailed Project Reports so that they could be studied and examined from a technical and financial point of view. The implementation of projects can begin soon thereafter.&nbsp;

WION: How do you see future cooperation. We have with Gujarat and Andijan, also plans for Haryana and Fergana. IT is another sector which has seen cooperation.

Manish Prabhat:&nbsp;Establishing cooperation between identified pairs of regions of Uzbekistan and states of India could become a good model for encouraging investment and projects between the two sides.&nbsp; We have been encouraged by the results of the visit of the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani who led a strong business delegation of Gujarat-based companies to the Andijan region of Uzbekistan in October 2019. Gujarat and Andijan have a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation.&nbsp; Shortly after the visit of Shri Rupani, a strong Uzbek business delegation paid a return visit to Gujarat.&nbsp; As a result of these visits, more than 20 B2B Agreements and documents were signed, especially in the fields of pharmaceuticals, IT, education and agriculture, and agri-processing.&nbsp;

Cadila has announced a major investment in Andijan to manufacture pharmaceuticals.&nbsp; Andijan has opened a special Free Pharmaceuticals Zone to attract Indian companies.&nbsp; Both India and Uzbekistan seek to further expand this model of cooperation and are taking further steps to encourage cooperation between the Fergana region and the state of Haryana.&nbsp; Development of various contours of cooperation would depend on the respective strengths of the identified regions and the states and their potential. IT certainly continues to be a major sector of our bilateral cooperation.&nbsp; It may be noted that the Uzbek government invited an expert from the Software Technology Parks of India to be stationed in Uzbekistan and provide technical expertise to establish IT parks in the country.&nbsp; As a result, Uzbekistan’s first-ever IT Park was opened in Tashkent in early 2019 and more IT parks have since been opened in other regions of Uzbekistan. The Uzbekistan government is upbeat about attracting Indian IT companies to Uzbekistan to help with various digitization and e-governance activities in the country. The Uzbek side would also like to benefit from India’s experience in helping startups to grow.&nbsp;

WION: Uzbek Parliament has also constituted an India Friendship Group in their Parliament, is it the first such Parliament in the region to do so?

Manish Prabhat:&nbsp;Oliy Majlis, the Parliament of Uzbekistan has expressed its strong desire to expand cooperation with the Indian Parliament and benefit from the study of India’s parliamentary practices given our strong credentials of being the largest democracy in the world.&nbsp;

As per the parliamentary practices in Uzbekistan, Parliamentary Friendship Groups for India have already been established in both Houses of the Oliy Majlis and they would like to have interaction with their counterpart groups in the Indian Parliament.&nbsp; There have also been proposals to have online interaction between parliamentarians from both sides on topics of mutual interest and exchange of visits in the future once the pandemic situation improves.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Both India and Uzbekistan would like to strengthen their inter-parliamentary cooperation. With the ongoing reforms in various spheres in Uzbekistan, including in the fields of governance, media, economy and finance, there is interest in the Uzbek Parliament to study the practices of developed democracies to learn how their parliaments support such initiatives.&nbsp;

India's envoy to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat has said that Chabahar can become a "fulcrum of transit" between India and Central Asia. The comments of the envoy come even as India, Uzbekistan, and Iran held the first trilateral talks on the use of the Chabahar project in Iran.

India's envoy to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat has said that Chabahar can become a "fulcrum of transit" between India and Central Asia. The comments of the envoy come even as India, Uzbekistan, and Iran held the first trilateral talks on the use of the Chabahar project in Iran. Speaking to WION's principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Uzbekistan capital Tashkent, the envoy said, "While transit through railways and trucks already takes place from Iran’s Bandar Abbas port to Central Asian countries, the need is to develop the infrastructure to connect Central Asia to the Chabahar port." India built the Shahid Beheshti Port at Chabahar as part of the India, Iran, Afghanistan 2016 agreement to increase its connectivity with Afghanistan and beyond to central Asia. The Indian envoy spoke on the recent India-Uzbekistan virtual summit, pointing out that it was, "India’s first virtual summit with an important partner in Central Asia and it was Uzbekistan’s first-ever bilateral virtual summit with any country. " During the virtual summit, the first with any central Asian country, New Delhi approved 448 million lines of credit for four projects developmental projects in the country--two in road construction and one each in sewerage treatment and information technology. WION: Key outcomes of the India-Uzbekistan virtual meet. While it was the seventh such virtual summit, it was the first such virtual summit with a central Asian country. Why Uzbekistan was chosen for the first such meet in that region? Manish Prabhat: India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership has grown by leaps and bound thanks to the regular exchanges of VVIP visits in the last few years. Prime Minister visited Uzbekistan in 2015 and 2016. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s first visit to India took place in October 2018 and soon after he visited again in January 2019 to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. This year Prime Minister’s visit to Uzbekistan was on cards. However, in the situation of the ongoing pandemic, the visit was not possible. It was decided to hold a virtual summit between the two leaders to continue the momentum of our exchanges. Indeed, it became India’s first virtual summit with an important partner in Central Asia and it was Uzbekistan’s first-ever bilateral virtual summit with any country. Both sides were very satisfied with the results of the summit. The state of bilateral relations is excellent. Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers have met and are working on a range of issues. Our multilateral cooperation in the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and in the India-Central Asia Dialogue format is set to further strengthen. Our positions on important issues like terrorism and Afghanistan are similar. India’s term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2021-22 and Uzbekistan’s first-ever stint as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for 2021-23 gives rise to new possibilities of cooperation. Uzbekistan reiterated its support for India’s permanent membership in a reformed UNSC. Both countries also called for reformed multilateralism including comprehensive reforms of the UN structures. Both India and Uzbekistan have cooperated closely in tackling the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister assured of India’s continued commitment to support Uzbekistan in its fight against the pandemic. Uzbekistan is very interested in Indian vaccines for Covid-19 and has sought our support in bringing these vaccines to Uzbekistan. India is keen to expand its development partnership with Uzbekistan. India has already declared a USD one billion line of credit for development projects in Uzbekistan. In the framework of the India-Central Asia Dialogue also, India has offered another line of credit of USD one billion for projects in the region. Both sides also signed an MoU on High Impact Community Development Projects to be undertaken in Uzbekistan under India’s grant assistance. In order to boost bilateral investment and trade, both sides are already engaged in negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty and finalizing a Joint Feasibility Study which would pave the way for starting negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement. These will bring further dividends as Uzbekistan has recently become an Observer in the Eurasian Economic Union, a market of more than 200 million people. Both India and Uzbekistan seek to achieve a bilateral trade turnover of USD one billion but have actually reached only one-third of that landmark. A major factor inhibiting the development of closer trade and economic relationship is the absence of economic and efficient surface connectivity. Both sides believe that the Chabahar route can be the key to address this problem. A total of nine agreements and MoUs on cooperation were signed during the summit including on the line of credit, information technology, cybersecurity, solar energy, customs, standardisation, mass communication, etc. Space and civil nuclear energy are also upcoming areas of our bilateral cooperation. WION: On connectivity, a trilateral happened between on Chabahar between India, Iran, and Uzbekistan. Chabahar is India built port, how do you see, Central Asia benefitting from it? Manish Prabhat: As we are all aware, India has been pushing for encouraging the use of the Chabahar port by all Central Asian countries. Even during the first India-Central Asia Dialogue at the level of Foreign Ministers held in January 2019 in Samarkand, then External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj had put forth the idea of the use of Chabahar for establishing greater connectivity between India and Central Asia. It is heartening to see that Uzbekistan fully supports this idea and has taken the initiative to host the first trilateral dialogue among Uzbekistan, India, and Iran on the possibilities of the joint use of Chabahar port. The trilateral meeting took place on 14 December at the level of Deputy Ministers of the three countries concerned with transport and logistics relating to the Chabahar port. The three sides discussed the possibility of developing joint platforms and establishing commercial parameters to encourage the transit of goods through the Chabahar port. The idea, when taken further, would need customs administrations of the three countries, freight forwarding companies, and other stakeholders to work together. We would need the participation of Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries to have a wider reach for this proposal. While transit through railways and trucks already takes place from Iran’s Bandar Abbas port to Central Asian countries, the need is to develop the infrastructure to connect Central Asia to the Chabahar port. This will further make the route between India and Central Asia shorter and economical for the movement of containers. The Chabahar port is already successfully handling the movement of goods between India and Afghanistan. Its success has already shown that it has the potential to become the fulcrum of transit between India and Central Asia. WION: Uzbekistan is the first country in Central Asia with which we have started our development partners in terms of extending Lines of Credit. We have now listed 4 projects for the partnership, can you give details? Manish Prabhat: As per the request of the Government of Uzbekistan, the Government of India has approved four projects to be undertaken under India’s Line of Credit in Uzbekistan. These projects are in the sectors of road construction, sewerage, and supply of IT equipment for education and are worth USD 448 million. These projects are also spread over different regions of Uzbekistan. More such projects will also be identified in the future as our total commitment is of USD 1 billion of Line of Credit. The Government of Uzbekistan is expected to soon make us available the Detailed Project Reports so that they could be studied and examined from a technical and financial point of view. The implementation of projects can begin soon thereafter. WION: How do you see future cooperation. We have with Gujarat and Andijan, also plans for Haryana and Fergana. IT is another sector which has seen cooperation. Manish Prabhat: Establishing cooperation between identified pairs of regions of Uzbekistan and states of India could become a good model for encouraging investment and projects between the two sides. We have been encouraged by the results of the visit of the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani who led a strong business delegation of Gujarat-based companies to the Andijan region of Uzbekistan in October 2019. Gujarat and Andijan have a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation. Shortly after the visit of Shri Rupani, a strong Uzbek business delegation paid a return visit to Gujarat. As a result of these visits, more than 20 B2B Agreements and documents were signed, especially in the fields of pharmaceuticals, IT, education and agriculture, and agri-processing. Cadila has announced a major investment in Andijan to manufacture pharmaceuticals. Andijan has opened a special Free Pharmaceuticals Zone to attract Indian companies. Both India and Uzbekistan seek to further expand this model of cooperation and are taking further steps to encourage cooperation between the Fergana region and the state of Haryana. Development of various contours of cooperation would depend on the respective strengths of the identified regions and the states and their potential. IT certainly continues to be a major sector of our bilateral cooperation. It may be noted that the Uzbek government invited an expert from the Software Technology Parks of India to be stationed in Uzbekistan and provide technical expertise to establish IT parks in the country. As a result, Uzbekistan’s first-ever IT Park was opened in Tashkent in early 2019 and more IT parks have since been opened in other regions of Uzbekistan. The Uzbekistan government is upbeat about attracting Indian IT companies to Uzbekistan to help with various digitization and e-governance activities in the country. The Uzbek side would also like to benefit from India’s experience in helping startups to grow. WION: Uzbek Parliament has also constituted an India Friendship Group in their Parliament, is it the first such Parliament in the region to do so? Manish Prabhat: Oliy Majlis, the Parliament of Uzbekistan has expressed its strong desire to expand cooperation with the Indian Parliament and benefit from the study of India’s parliamentary practices given our strong credentials of being the largest democracy in the world. As per the parliamentary practices in Uzbekistan, Parliamentary Friendship Groups for India have already been established in both Houses of the Oliy Majlis and they would like to have interaction with their counterpart groups in the Indian Parliament. There have also been proposals to have online interaction between parliamentarians from both sides on topics of mutual interest and exchange of visits in the future once the pandemic situation improves. Both India and Uzbekistan would like to strengthen their inter-parliamentary cooperation. With the ongoing reforms in various spheres in Uzbekistan, including in the fields of governance, media, economy and finance, there is interest in the Uzbek Parliament to study the practices of developed democracies to learn how their parliaments support such initiatives.

Chabahar can be fulcrum of transit between India and Central Asia, says Indian envoy to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat

The first-ever shipment from Iran's Shahid Behesti Terminal of Chabahar left for Thailand began on 29th July, increasing the engagement of India backed port globally.

MV LIBRA sailed from Chabahar on 29th July carrying with 123 loaded TEUs ( twenty-foot equivalent unit) for Indian ports of Mundra and JNPT. The shipment bound for Bangkok will be transhipped at Mundra.

The shipment includes Iran’s aquatic products. Director-General of Sistan and Baluchestan Ports and Maritime Organization, Behrouz Aghaei said last week that this is for the first time Iranian products will go to Thailand via Chabahar. He explained the products will be unloaded at Mundra in India and loaded on another ship to its final destination to Bangkok Port.

Meanwhile, India has ordered the necessary equipment for the Chabahar port’s development project. The port will receive several mobile harbour cranes during the current Iranian calendar year, according to Iran's port and maritime organisation.

New Delhi is participating in the development of the first phase of Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with Iranian govt. Indian company- India Ports Global Limited-- took over the operations of the port in December 2018. This has become a crucial connectivity link between India and Afghanistan as Pakistan continues to deny overland routes to New Delhi for Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The first-ever shipment from Iran's Shahid Behesti Terminal of Chabahar left for Thailand began on 29th July, increasing the engagement of India backed port globally.

The first-ever shipment from Iran's Shahid Behesti Terminal of Chabahar left for Thailand began on 29th July, increasing the engagement of India backed port globally. MV LIBRA sailed from Chabahar on 29th July carrying with 123 loaded TEUs ( twenty-foot equivalent unit) for Indian ports of Mundra and JNPT. The shipment bound for Bangkok will be transhipped at Mundra. The shipment includes Iran’s aquatic products. Director-General of Sistan and Baluchestan Ports and Maritime Organization, Behrouz Aghaei said last week that this is for the first time Iranian products will go to Thailand via Chabahar. He explained the products will be unloaded at Mundra in India and loaded on another ship to its final destination to Bangkok Port. Meanwhile, India has ordered the necessary equipment for the Chabahar port’s development project. The port will receive several mobile harbour cranes during the current Iranian calendar year, according to Iran's port and maritime organisation. New Delhi is participating in the development of the first phase of Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with Iranian govt. Indian company- India Ports Global Limited-- took over the operations of the port in December 2018. This has become a crucial connectivity link between India and Afghanistan as Pakistan continues to deny overland routes to New Delhi for Afghanistan.

India backed Chabahar Port connects Iran with Thailand