Iran, India, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan officials discuss enhancing transit through Chabahar Port

(MENAFN) Officials from Iran, India, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan gathered in Mumbai for the third joint working group meeting to discuss strategies for enhancing trade and improving the transportation and transit of goods through Iran’s Chabahar Port. Representing Iran, Hossein Shahdadi, Deputy Director of Port and Economic Affairs of Chabahar, participated in the meeting alongside senior officials from India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, and ambassadors and diplomats from the involved countries. The focus was on advancing the port’s potential to serve as a major regional trade hub.

The discussions emphasized Chabahar's strategic location, positioning it as a key connector between Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. Participants reviewed the port's infrastructure and operational capacity, while also addressing challenges to trade, such as bureaucratic hurdles, logistical inefficiencies, and infrastructure gaps. The aim was to identify ways to streamline customs procedures, improve multimodal transport links, and attract more investment to enhance the port's development.

Chabahar Port, located on Iran’s southeastern coast in the Gulf of Oman, holds significant importance as the country’s only oceanic port. It offers a more direct and secure trade route for landlocked nations like Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, presenting an alternative to traditional trade routes that pass through Pakistan. This strategic positioning makes Chabahar vital for facilitating regional trade, particularly for countries in Central Asia.

India has been particularly proactive in investing in Chabahar as part of its larger strategy to bypass Pakistan and strengthen its trade ties with Central Asia, Afghanistan, and other regions. The port plays a central role in India’s International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which aims to establish a multimodal trade route connecting India to Russia through Iran and Central Asia, further solidifying Chabahar’s role as a critical regional trade gateway.

MENAFN01122024000045015839ID1108943231