Noting that it is closely watching the situation unfolding in Iran, India on Friday said it remains engaged with the US on an unconditional sanctions waiver for the crucial Chabahar Port project, which is valid until April 26, 2026.
‘’Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This order is final and conclusive,’’ President Trump wrote on ‘X’, creating fresh economic troubles for the Islamic nation, which is witnessing large-scale anti-government protests.
Widespread protests in Iran have prompted New Delhi to closely track risks to India’s Chabahar Port project, a key gateway for regional trade and strategic access routes.
During his meeting with Azizi, Jaishankar held discussions on strengthening bilateral trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
The MEA spokesperson further added that New Delhi is examining the implications that the exemption for the country.
This will be the first time when India will assume operational control of a port overseas.
Landlocked Afghanistan faces many issues related to trade as it has to cross Iran or Pakistan to reach water ports as the seaports accelerate the rate of international trade and act as an inhibitor in trade cost.
Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Qasemi expressed Tehran's intention during his meeting with visiting India's Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal in Tehran earlier this week.
For India, the Chabahar Port is a much-needed project for sea access to landlocked Afghanistan. The port has also emerged as a commercial transit hub for the region.
Given India's own civilisational-cultural-economic stakes with Iran, the drift of Tehran towards Beijing could not have come at a worse time. With Indias own geostrategic investments in the Chabahar port in Iran faltering, detrimental developments in Afghanistan, and the commercial implications of being unable to conduct Indo-Iranian trade due to the sanctions, the overall situation is grim. The possible linkages of the Chabahar imperatives with the Gwadar facility could be disastrous for Delhi. Besides, an energy-hungry economy like India always counted upon the Iranians as amongst the top three suppliers of oil
