Cabinet may okay $100 million investment in Iran's Chahbahar port

[Vishwarupa]

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet is expected to clear an investment of $100 million in a crucial project to develop Iran's Chahbahar port this week. Foreign minister Salman Khurshid, who will be in Tehran on Friday, will work out the final details of the project with Iran. Khurshid will also work on a trilateral transit agreement with Iran and Afghanistan, since the latter is the most important beneficiary of the Chahbahar port.

Iran has promised to ramp up capacity of the port in five phases to 20 million tonnes by 2020. Although India has long promised the project, this has been complicated by several factors. US sanctions have made it very difficult to finance projects in Iran. The sanctions also spooked parts of the government like the shipping ministry which were unwilling to attract US sanctions. Similar reservations were expressed by the finance ministry as well.

It took much persuasion by the external affairs ministry and national security adviser Shivshankar Menon and a careful reading of US sanctions laws to get other parts of the government on board. The delay on India's part after pushing the project came in for criticism by the Iranians as well, who said they would be willing to do their bit for the project.

India had also mooted the idea of using Iran's Indian earnings (India pays for 45% of its oil buys from Iran in rupees which are accumulating in an account in UCO Bank). But this idea did not fly with Iran.

The idea of the project is to give India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia through Iran, because the Pakistan transit route is unavailable to India. Studies have shown that goods transported through Chahbahar cut transportation time by several days, which would mean huge savings for India and Afghanistan. On the other hand, it would give Afghanistan an approach to the sea, quite apart from the Karachi port, and thereby reduce its dependence on Pakistan.

With Pakistan giving Gwadar port to China, Chahbahar has increased in strategic importance for India.

Cabinet may okay $100 million investment in Iran's Chahbahar port - The Times of India


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India should go ahead with funding Chahbahar port irrespective of what US think as this port is very crucial to tackle chinese in Gwadar port.

 

[drkrn]

Chabbar port gives sea access to Afghanistan??are you kidding.
last time i read in this forum Iran doesn't like Afghanistan.more over what does afghan have anything to export except to import?this project is purely in
Indian interests for business and military significance to contain Pakistan/china

frankly once this project gets completed this give India tremendous opportunity to transport minerals in afghan back to India

 

[Singh]

@drkrn Iran cannot be trusted. They are too fickle.

 

[Singh]

We have already built highways linking Afghanistan to Chahabahar. And iirc we are also building a railway line linking Chahabahar to Central Asia.

 

[SajeevJino]

@drkrn Iran cannot be trusted. They are too fickle.

I will Surely saying that one day If we go to war with Pakistan this port is a Surprise gift for Pakistan

we know If Pakistan goes to war Iran surely Support His neighbor Pakistan

 

[drkrn]

@drkrn Iran cannot be trusted. They are too fickle.

i seriously doubt your statements.our relations with Iran dates back few thousands of years the times at which many of current day nations are non existent.
our cultures intermingled for generations,not much problems from their side till now and all of sudden you say they can't be trusted!!

they are helping us to counterweight Pakistan and china together.

every relation will have up and down's, but neither we nor Iran can leave this relationship

 

[drkrn]

I will Surely saying that one day If we go to war with Pakistan this port is a Surprise gift for Pakistan

we know If Pakistan goes to war Iran surely Support His neighbor Pakistan

B.S Iran is shia majority,pakistan is sunni.
more over the both nations have some disputes regarding terrorist supporting from pakistan and border issues

 

[SajeevJino]

@drkrn ..worth of reading

Pak Iran close ties: Need of the hour


While our Relation with Iran is only for Oil and Gas if Iran had no Natural Resources Indians have no Idea is that country Named Iran
please don't drag me in to Persian Civilization

 

[arnabmit]

Is that why Iran kicked us out off the mines which we developed with our money?

i seriously doubt your statements.our relations with Iran dates back few thousands of years the times at which many of current day nations are non existent.
our cultures intermingled for generations,not much problems from their side till now and all of sudden you say they can't be trusted!!

they are helping us to counterweight Pakistan and china together.

every relation will have up and down's, but neither we nor Iran can leave this relationship

 

[drkrn]

Is that why Iran kicked us out off the mines which we developed with our money?

any links?

 

[arnabmit]

Don't exactly remember... Its here somewhere in some thread. Will search and post later.

any links?

 

[jamesvaikom]

Is that why Iran kicked us out off the mines which we developed with our money?

ONGC got gas field in Iran. I think ONGC went slow due to pressure from US. I think Iran is still willing to allow ONGC to develop that field. Terrorists are getting more funds from Saudi than from Iran. I think Iran will solve problem with West if opposition comes to power after next election. Best way to reduce terrorism is to solve problems with Iran and allow them to sell more oil so that only less funds flow from Saudi.