It is anticipated that the agreement will improve trade between Afghanistan, Iran, India, and other countries, as well as increase regional connectivity. Indian Ports Global Limited and the Port & Maritime Organization of Iran signed the long-term agreement.
The Chabahar port, which is situated in the unrest-plagued Sistan-Balochistan region on Iran’s southern coast, will provide Indian commodities with a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia via the International North-South Transport Corridor, a road and rail project.
Source: Mint
Crucially, the path will avoid Pakistan, whose links to India have been severely frozen for some time and whose relations with Iran have been worse recently. The activities of this port, which New Delhi had suggested to build back in 2003, have been hampered due to US sanctions imposed on Iran over its alleged nuclear program.
India has suddenly pulled a fast one on both the US and Pakistan. US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel responded to the Chabahar agreement by saying, “US sanctions on Iran remain in place and we will continue to enforce them.”
Source: NDTV
Patel issued a warning, stating that anyone thinking about doing business with Iran should be mindful of the possible danger, particularly with regard to sanctions.But, India has made the decision to put its own interests first and hasn’t let preexisting geopolitical allegiances stand in the way, as seen in the instance of the acquisition of Russian oil at a reduced cost.
Afghanistan, which is suffering from famine, received 20,000 tonnes of wheat from India last year via the Chabahar port. New Delhi is clearly making a big effort to be noticed in the neighbourhood, even though this may not sit well with everyone. Eventually, the US would have no choice but to submit to an assertive India.
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