India develops Chabahar port as an alternative for China’s BRI

New Delhi: – China created a sensation with the announcement of investing USD 400 billion in Iran. Therefore, concerns were being expressed that the Indian plan of developing the Chabahar port for increasing trade cooperation with the central Asian countries will be done and dusted. The talk is that India has placed an alternative channel for the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative in front of Iran and the central Asian countries. Claims are also surfacing that with this, India has reduced the importance of China and Pakistan.

Reports had been published a few days ago that Iran has excluded India from the Chabahar port development project. But in reality, India seems to have taken the initiative to create an alternative trade route through Afghanistan, for the central Asian countries. A few days ago, the talks between India, Iran and Uzbekistan were also regarding the same subject. The Indian foreign ministry announced that India would be holding more tripartite talks and Afghanistan will also be included in the negotiations, along with Iran.

Indian foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava clarified that tripartite talks, along with Iran, with other central Asian countries, also can be held shortly. Therefore, it is evident that instead of India having been distanced from the Chabahar port project, India is using the port to connect with the central Asian countries through trade. In September, India cancelled the contract awarded to the Chinese company for the equipment required for the Chabahar port. Therefore, it was being predicted that the port project will be affected, spelling trouble for India. But India has already finalised this contract with a western company, thus taking the project forward.

India has appealed to Iran to assist in the railway line to be laid from the Chabahar port. India will also restart oil purchase from Iran after the end of the Trump administration tenure in the United States. This will have a positive effect on bilateral relations. The trade between India and Afghanistan and Central Asian countries will become easy with the Chabahar port. The central Asian countries are looking at India, with hope, against the background of the weakening Chinese economy. Therefore, the initiative taken by India, in this respect, is crucial.