After the India-Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline fiasco, India and Iran are once again trying to iron out irritants to finalise the draft of the expansion project of the strategically located Chabahar Port to extend India’s reach to Europe and West markets. Iran has conveyed to India that it wants to utilise part of the amount (oil payment dues) remaining with Delhi to fund joint venture projects including in Chabahar. Iran has conveyed to India that it is not seeking to take back entire oil payment dues. The atmosphere for Indian investments in Chabahar and other areas in the Persian Gulf country have become further conducive after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ended its 12-year investigation into concerns that Iran might be developing nuclear weapons. The move is seen as a key step towards lifting UN, EU and US sanctions. The lifting of sanctions, agreed in a July deal with world powers, hinged on the IAEA’s findings on the issue. Chabhar could also be linked with Delaram-Zaranj Road (built by India in Afghanistan and connects at Afghan-Iran border) via rail through Zahedan. A road already connects the Iran-Afghan border point to Chabahar. Once the project is finalised India stands to gain strategically by reduced dependence of land-locked Afghanistan on Pakistan for sea-access lowering Pakistan’s strategic hold on Afghanistan as Pakistan denial of giving access to India for trade in Afghanistan via the Wagah Border, can counter Chinese presence in the Arabian Sea through support to Pakistan in developing Gwadar Port, can be used to station security vessels for merchant ships off the African coast, provides India access to the Middle East and Gulf countries increasing trade and ties and above all the utmost it provides India a foothold in the western Arabian Sea, which is important as many of our energy imports pass through it. Diplomatically the project can provide a link promote cultural linkages between India and Iran. So India stands to gain from all ends.
