New Delhi: India had struck a deal with Iran that allows operational rights to India in Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar.
The deal is of strategic importance to India not only in terms of operational rights but also having our own people. Also, this serves as a countet to the Gwadar port in Pakistan and China’s involvement in the port.
According to the news reported in Daily Mail, a joint statement by both the countries read that “the successful inauguration of phase-1 of chabahar port in early December 2017; the ratification of trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan on establishment of International Transport and Transit corridor by all sides, and the successful implementation of wheat assistance from India to Afghanistan through chabahar port have opened a new gateway to and from Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond.”
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi said “we want to increase ties in finance, energy, connectivity and trade. We want to strengthen our age-old cultural ties. Land-locked Afghanistan has got a golden-gateway in Chabahar.”
Iran President Hassan Rouhani stressed the importance of Chabahar port in accessing the land-locked region of Afghanistan and other Central Asian Countries.
“We are ready to sign the bilateral and trilateral agreements to turn the transit route passing through the Chabahar into a strategic pathway serving the reinforcement of regional ties,” said Hassan Rouhani.
India and Iran had also signed nine pacts related to extradition, avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion, easing visa rules for diplomats, port lease and cooperation in health and agricultural sectors.