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QUESTION NO.1362 MoU WITH IRAN ON CHABAHAR PORT

September 22, 2020

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1362
TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.09.2020

MoU WITH IRAN ON CHABAHAR PORT

1362. SHRI VISHAMBHAR PRASAD NISHAD:
CH. SUKHRAM SINGH YADAV:
SMT. CHHAYA VERMA:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the MoU had been signed by Government with Iran for the construction of Chabahar Port, the details thereof;

(b) whether it is a fact that Iran itself is completing this project due to the inactiveness of Government of India; and

(c) whether due to such steps India’s relationship with friendly countries is steadily deteriorating?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) to (c) During the visit of the Prime Minister to Iran in May 2016, a Trilateral Agreement to establish International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

An Indian company, India Ports Global Limited, has taken over port operations of Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in December 2018 and has since handled 12 lakhs tons of bulk cargo and about 8200 containers. In the recent past, there has been a rise in transit cargo for Afghanistan through Chabahar. India’s assistance of 75,000 tons of wheat to Afghanistan, of which eight consignments have already been shipped, is being supplied via Chabahar. The port has handled over 53,000 tons of India’s wheat bound for Afghanistan since the beginning of the current fiscal year. Afghanistan’s exports to India are also routed via Chabahar Port.

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