Chabahar Port

Chabahar Port

Context: A 10-year agreement was recently signed between India and Iran to develop and manage the Chabahar port, representing a significant milestone in bilateral relations between the two nations.
• The long-term agreement, negotiated over the past three years, has a duration of 10 years and can be extended thereafter.
• Differences over an arbitration clause had previously delayed the finalization of the agreement.
• The new agreement replaces an earlier pact signed in 2016, which covered India\'s operations specifically at the Shahid Beheshti terminal of Chabahar port and required annual renewal.
• India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), a subsidiary of state-run India Global Ports Limited (IGPL), currently manages the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar port.
• This marks the first instance of India assuming management responsibilities for an overseas port, signifying a significant development in India\'s maritime and strategic engagement.

Chabahar Project:

• Location and Access:

o Chabahar Port is situated in Iran\'s Sistan-Baluchistan province, on the Gulf of Oman at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.
o It is Irans sole port with direct access to the Indian Ocean.
o The port consists of two separate terminals: Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari.

• Geopolitical Importance:

o Chabahars strategic location near Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India positions it as a key transit point on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
o INSTC is a multi-modal transportation route linking the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea and northern Europe via Iran and Russia.

• Distance from Indian Ports:

o Chabahar Port is approximately 550 nautical miles from Kandla port in Gujarat and 786 nautical miles from Mumbai.

• Chabahar Project:

o In May 2016, India, Iran, and Afghanistan signed a tripartite agreement to develop the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar.
o This project marks Indias first foreign port venture.
o The agreement aims to establish an international transport and transit corridor, including the construction of a rail line from Chabahar Port to Zahedan.

• Strategic Objectives:

o Chabahar Port offers India an alternative route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
o It serves as a potential hub for transit trade among India, Iran, and Afghanistan, offering an alternative to traditional Silk Road routes through China.