KABUL (SW): Afghanistan, Iran and India are set to ink a much-awaited tri-party pact about the Chabahar port.
Iran and India agreed to develop the strategic Chabahar Port in 2003. The project was, however, suspended following the imposition of sanctions against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program. In May 2014, India and Iran signed an MoU to jointly develop the port once the international sanctions against Iran have been lifted. Iran received sanctions relief after its nuclear deal with six world powers took effect in January this year.
Dawa Khan Menapal, deputy presidential spokesman told Salam Watandar that President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani would join Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for the signing ceremony on Monday.
Menapal pronounced the Chabara port crucial in lifting the country’s international trade. He added that trade between the three countries would particularly improve with the project.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Commerce (MoTC), the Chabahar port would cut the distance to sea by up to 700 kilometres. Musafar Qoqandi, the MoTC spokesman told Salam Watandar that cut in transportation cost would help curb inflation.
He noted that Afghanistan would improve trade ties with countries cooperating in terms of transit trade.
The Chabahar route will allow Indian goods to reach Afghanistan via the Iranian port of Chabahar without crossing Pakistan’s territory.
Chabahar is located in the Gulf of Oman on the border with Pakistan. It is Iran's closest and best access point to the Indian Ocean and Iran has devised serious plans to turn it into a transit hub for immediate access to markets in the northern part of the Indian Ocean and Central Asia.
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