Pakistan will be sidelined, China will get a big blow, what agreement has been reached between India and Iran now?

An agreement between India and Iran is becoming a cause of concern for neighboring Pakistan as well as China. We are talking about the Chabahar project, regarding which in the latest talks between the two countries, an agreement has been reached to work on it expeditiously. With the commencement of this project, Indian trucks going to Afghanistan will not have to pass through Pakistan. China, which is trying to establish its dominance in this region through CPEC, will also face a big setback. According to The Economic Times report, India and Iran have reached the final agreement on their first foreign port project, Chabahar Port. The construction of this Iranian port has been under discussion between the two countries for a long time. This also came into discussion when PM Modi went to Tehran in 2013.

What is Chabahar Port Project?

Chabahar port is located in Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran. Located in the Gulf of Oman, this port connects the southern coast of Iran to the western coast of India. Chabahar Port is built on the south-eastern coast of Iran. This port was declared a trade free zone by Iran. It is just 72 kilometers to the west of Gwadar port of Pakistan. Till now, this port, which has a cargo handling capacity of only 2.5 million tonnes, is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan to develop it into a port with a cargo handling capacity of up to 80 million tonnes.

The Chabahar project has evolved significantly over the years and now envisages a 628 km long rail line to a central hub, the Zahedar area, and then a track of more than a thousand km to the Iran-Turkmenistan border. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was on a two-day visit to Iran following the attack by British, US forces on Houthi positions and discussions with Antony Blinken. Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade relations. India is pushing for the Chabahar port project to boost regional trade, especially for its connectivity with Afghanistan.

Through the Chabahar project, India will get a direct route to Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan. Afghanistan is historically bound by bonds of friendship with India. Afghanistan will also benefit greatly from the new connectivity. You will get a big market in the form of India to expand your trade business and contacts. Apart from this, the dominance that China has established in this area in the form of CPEC. This project will also reduce the influence of China.