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Days after the United States warned of sanctions following India and Iran sealing the deal on Chabahar port, India said on Friday that the US has shown an understanding of the importance of the Chabahar Port operations for continued humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan, and a “narrow view” should not be taken on the long-term agreement.
Responding to questions on the port project, Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “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.”
“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.
Earlier this week, India and Iran signed a 10-year agreement that provided for 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,” 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. “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.
“Now, we have concluded a long-term agreement which is essential for port operations,” Jaiswal said.
Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran’s southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Afghanistan to boost connectivity and trade ties.
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