PM Modi says on Chabahar Port Pact that India will ensure ‘regional connectivity, trade and commerce’

NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi called the Chabahar Port Pact between India and Iran an important milestone. He said that the trilateral treaty between India, Iran and Afghanistan was signed to provide much-needed connectivity to Afghanistan.

In an interview to PTI, PM Modi said, India will work to promote regional connectivity, trade and commerce through not just the Chabahar Port but also through the International North South Transport Corridor as also the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

In 2016, during my visit to Iran, the trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan was signed, in order to provide the much-needed connectivity to Afghanistan,” said PM Modi, adding that his government has given precedence to Chabahar Port since they came to power in 2014.

“An Indian company had taken over the operations a few years ago and since then it has been used by India to provide ‘humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan including wheat, pulses, pesticides, medical supplies’,” said the PM.

“The recent signing of the long-term agreement for the development of Chabahar Port is an important milestone,” he said. “India will work for ensuring that our efforts promote regional connectivity, trade and commerce, including to and from the landlocked Afghanistan and the Central Asia region. This is also embedded in our vision to promote connectivity including through the International North South Transport Corridor, as also the India-Middle East -Europe Economic Corridor,” PM Modi added. 

“In this era of globalisation, connectivity plays an important role. It is our endeavour to provide connectivity especially to those countries which are landlocked. I have always found deep interest among the leaders of the Central Asian countries to use this port for getting access to the sea and connecting to India,” said PM Modi.

Chabahar Port Pact

India signed a 10-year agreement with Iran to operate the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman to provide a gateway for Indian goods to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia using a road and rail project called International North-South Transport Corridor, bypassing Pakistan.

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) comprises 7,200 kilometres of sea, rail and road lines crossing numerous borders to help transport goods from India to Russia via Iran as an alternative to the conventional Suez Canal route. 

The agreement that replaced the original 2016 agreement was signed by Indian Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and the Port & Maritime Organisation of Iran. IGPL would invest $120 million, and raise $250 million as debt