"Historic decision taken to fulfil PM Modi's vision...": Union Minister Sonowal on Chabahar Port pact with Iran

Tehran [Iran], May 13 : Following the signing of Chabahar Port pact between India and Iran, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has said that the "historic decision" of the long-term contract was taken to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of increasing the original connectivity of the port.

"Under the leadership and guidance of PM Modi, who is also the most popular leader of the world, we signed the long-term contract for operating of Chabahar Port. The talks were on for several years. For quite some time, it was on a short-term basis. However, this historic decision was taken to fulfil PM Modi's vision of increasing the original connectivity of the port," Sonowal told ANI.

He further asserted that the port is historic, and holds a lot of importance, in fulfilment of PM Modi's vision of making India a developed nation in years to come.

"In the future, this will not only remain between India and Iran, but will also become a viable transit corridor for our Asian countries, and this is a big chance for the country (India), that PM Modi, by the way he has taken up the goal of making India a developed country, and for the fulfilment of that, this deal holds a lot of importance," the Union Minister said.

"And through this deal, we will get more chances to do that...In days ahead, this port, I think, will play a key role in our port shipping waterways," he added.

The Long-Term Bilateral Contract on Chabahar Port Operation was signed between Indian Ports Global Limited (IPGL) of India and the Port & Maritime Organisation (PMO) of Iran, enabling the operation of Shahid-Behesti in the Chabahar Port Development Project for a period of 10 years.

"The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, along with Mehrdad Bazrpash, Minister of Roads & Urban Development, Iran, attended the historic signing of the agreement ceremony held here today. Earlier, A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for development of Chabahar Port by India was signed in May 2015. Thereafter, the contract was executed on May 23, 2016 at Tehran (Iran) during the visit of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India to Iran," the office of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in an official release.

"This agreement aims to enhance regional connectivity and facilitate trade, particularly between India, Iran and Afghanistan. The India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), a subsidiary of IPGL, facilitated the first consignment of exports from Afghanistan to India in 2019," the release added.

This 10-year long-term lease agreement further strengthens the bilateral ties between the two countries while bolstering confidence and boosting trust among trading communities in the region.

The Chabahar Port is an India-Iran flagship project that serves as an important transit port for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries, which are landlocked countries. India has been a key player in the development and operation of Chabahar Port.

The Indian government has invested in the port's infrastructure and has been involved in upgrading its facilities to make it a viable transit route for Indian goods bound for Afghanistan and Central Asia.

In August 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

Both leaders discussed the pending long-term Contract on Chabahar, and gave a clear political direction to finalise and sign the long-term Term Contract.

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