India Granted US Sanctions Waiver for Chabahar Port
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: FPJ
Context: The United States has granted India a six-month sanctions waiver for operating the Chabahar Port in Iran, allowing continued development and trade activity.
About India Granted US Sanctions Waiver for Chabahar Port:
What it is?
• The Chabahar Port is a strategic seaport in southeastern Iran on the Gulf of Oman, developed jointly by India and Iran to facilitate trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan.
• It consists of two main terminals — Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari — with multiple berths for cargo handling.
Located in:
• The port is situated in Chabahar city, Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Iran.
• It lies about 170 km west of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port and serves as Iran’s only oceanic port with direct access to the Indian Ocean.
History:
• Originally proposed by Iran’s Shah in 1973, but construction began after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88).
• India and Iran signed an agreement in 2003 to jointly develop the port; however, sanctions delayed progress.
• In 2016, India, Iran, and Afghanistan signed a Trilateral Transit Agreement, giving India rights to develop and operate two berths at Shahid Beheshti Terminal.
• India formally took over operations in December 2018 through India Ports Global Ltd. (IPGL).
Features:
• Equipped with container terminals, cargo-handling cranes, and modern logistics facilities.
• Serves as a key node for the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking India to Russia and Europe via Iran and Central Asia.
• Offers a strategic alternative to Pakistan’s Karachi and Gwadar ports for India-Afghanistan trade.
Significance to India:
• Bypasses Pakistan to provide India direct land–sea access to Afghanistan and Central Asia for trade and aid.
• Strengthens India’s presence in the Eurasian connectivity network and counters China’s influence via the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).