Chabahar Day conference started in Mumbai
On July 31, 2022, Chabahar Day Conference was launched in Mumbai, by Sarbanand Sonowal (Union Shipping Minister) and Shripad Naik (Minister of State for Shipping). Inauguration event was attended by dignitaries from Kazakhstan, Iran, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.
- India and Iran had inked the bilateral agreement in May 2016, in which India agreed to refurbish one of the berths at Shahid Beheshti port. India also agreed to reconstruct a 600-meter-long container handling facility at this port.
- In October 2017, India sent first shipment of wheat to Afghanistan via the Chabahar Port.
- India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a tripartite agreement for developing Chabahar port in 2016. They also agreed to set up a trilateral transport and transit corridor.
About Chabahar Port:
- Chabahar Port is located on the Gulf of Oman. It is at a distance of 72 km from the Gwadar Port in Pakistan. Gwadar post was developed by China.
- It is the only Iranian port, having direct access of the Indian ocean.
- The port comprises of two different ports, viz., Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari.
- It is a significant pillar of Indo-pacific vision of India, in a bid to connect Eurasia with Indian Ocean Region.
- It is a part of International North South Transport Corridor network connecting India.
Chabahar post is significant for India, to enhance connectivity to Afghanistan and the Central Asian States. The port has opened up a permanent alternative route for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia. It also counters the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar port, under the China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
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Month: Current Affairs - August, 2022
Category: Summits and Conferences