India in talks with US and Iran on key port – Foreign Ministry
New Delhi is engaged in talks with Washington and Tehran on the development of a key port in Iran, the Indian Foreign Ministry has said.
The statement comes after a temporary sanctions waiver by the US on the port of Chabahar in Iran ended on April 26.
“As to where we are, this issue [Chabahar development] is under discussion with both Iran and the United States,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a query on the situation in the Middle East on Monday.
“The current conflict is also a complicating factor,” Jaiswal added.
India’s Chabahar investment “can proceed in accordance with existing agreements,” a top Iranian diplomat told RT India earlier in April.
In May 2016, India and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding for developing the Chabahar facility.
The project has been facing US restrictions since 2012, although New Delhi secured a waiver in 2018 to be part of the development, which is viewed as vital for expanding its trade with Russia, Central Asia, and Afghanistan.
The US revoked the sanctions exception last year, but later extended a conditional waiver, which ended on Sunday.
In January, President Donald Trump hardened the US stance on Iran and said any country doing business with the Islamic Republic will face a 25% tariff, further complicating New Delhi’s involvement in the port’s development.
Chabahar, situated on the Gulf of Oman in southeastern Iran, is strategically located and is part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, a shipping route developed by India, Iran, and Russia, as an alternative to the Suez Canal.
The port is also central to India’s strategy to counterbalance China’s influence in the region, particularly through the development of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.
