Protests sweeping Iran have set off alarm bells in New Delhi. Demonstrations have spread to more than 100 cities, adding to fears about instability at a time when India has a major strategic bet riding on the Chabahar Port project.
Indian officials say the unrest does not pose an immediate physical threat to the port. But there is concern about continuity. If protests deepen or lead to a change in regime, delays could stretch on, an official said.
India has invested close to USD 500 million in Chabahar. The port is central to New Delhi’s plans to reach Afghanistan, Central Asia, Russia, and Europe without routing trade through Pakistan. Any slowdown hurts timelines and leverage.
Also Read: Iran protests: ‘You better not start shooting because we’ll start shooting too,’ warns Donald Trump
Why Chabahar matters to India’s regional strategy
Chabahar is a gateway project. It supports India’s Connect Central Asia policy and opens trade routes to landlocked countries such as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It is also a pillar of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
The INSTC is a 7,200-km ship–rail–road network linking India with Iran, Russia, Europe and the Caspian Sea. Officials say it cuts transit time by nearly 40 per cent and costs by about 30 per cent. For India, those gains depend on steady progress on the ground.
A crucial piece is the Chabahar–Zahedan railway. Unrest could slow rail connectivity, weakening the corridor’s efficiency. Delays to cargo handling and infrastructure development are already a worry, officials note, especially after internet blackouts and supply-chain disruptions linked to the protests.
Unrest, security worries and the China factor
Iran’s security agencies are under strain. Officials point to low morale among lower-ranking cadres of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards amid an economic crisis. That has fed anxiety among workers, who fear being caught in the middle as protests continue.
New Delhi is also watching Beijing. China is known to advance its interests when countries face instability, officials say. Chabahar is seen as a counter to China’s footprint at Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, about 170 km away. The port also helps India keep an eye on Chinese naval activity in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
News agency IANS mentioned an official as saying that any prolonged delay at Chabahar could set back long-term plans as China scales up at Gwadar.
Protests erupted on December 28, 2025, driven by a deepening economic crisis. What began as anger over inflation, food prices and the sharp fall of the Iranian rial has broadened. Shopkeepers first took to the streets; students and the wider public followed. The demands have since expanded to include calls for regime change, with demonstrations now reported across more than 100 locations.