Iran Press/ Iran News: Chabahar port in Sistan and Baluchistan province is the only oceanic port in Iran, located on the Makran Sea coast and the Indian Ocean.
In 2016, an investment agreement for the development of Chabahar was signed between Iran and India, and based on the agreement, India committed to provide part of the infrastructure of Chabahar port.
In this regard, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, arrived in Tehran on Saturday at the head of a high-ranking delegation to meet with Iranian officials.
Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, also stated in his meeting with Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday: "The Islamic Republic welcomes the presence and foreign investment in the completion and development of Chabahar Port."
The first vice president of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated: "With the completion of the project, the North-South Corridor of trade and transit will increase significantly in the region."
For his part, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways also expressed New Delhi's interest in increasing investments in the development of the port and said: "The Indian government has a serious and firm determination to participate constructively in this important project."
Sonowal stated: "Soon, great steps will be taken to improve relations and cooperation between the two governments of Iran and India, and New Delhi is fully committed to deepening and expanding relations between them."
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Indian Minister of Ports and Shipping arrives in Chabahar
India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has said the Indian government is committed to equipping and developing Chabahar port and will make its utmost effort to turn the port into a regional and international transit hub.
Sonowal made the remarks in Chabahar on Saturday on the sidelines of a meeting with the Head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Ali-Akbar Safaei, in which the two sides discussed the development of maritime and port cooperation between the two countries, the PMO portal reported.
Stressing the rich cultural and historical relations between Iran and India, the minister noted that such relations would pave the way for the development of bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries.
Emphasizing that the Indian government is committed to developing Chabahar Port, the minister stated that the joint determination of the two countries to develop cooperation in 2016 and during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Iran led to strengthening bilateral cooperation in relevant fields.
The Indian government will continue its effort to turn Chabahar Port into a regional and international transit hub, Sonowal stressed.
After meeting with Sonowal, Safaei told the press that Iran expects the Indian government to increase engagement in Chabahar port.
“We expect the activity of the Indian government to increase in Chabahar port,” he said.
“We take the visit of the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India in Chabahar port as a good sign and encourage both sides to fulfill their commitments regarding Chabahar port,” Safaei added.
Emphasizing that Chabahar will be open to all neighboring countries as a gateway for trade, the official said: "We are sure that with the practical actions taken by India and Iran, we will witness the increasing prosperity of Chabahar port."
Sonowal arrived in Tehran on Friday, August 19, to discuss the expansion of cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s authorities.
Under a 10-year agreement with Iran, India has committed to developing and operating the Shahid Beheshti terminal in Chabahar, located on the Sea of Oman in southeast Iran.
Earlier this month, the Indian Ministry of Port, Shipping, and Waterways celebrated “Chabahar Day” in Mumbai to reiterate its commitment to developing the southeastern Iranian port, which is going to connect India to Central Asian markets through the International North-South Transport Corridor.
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