PM Modi and President Rouhani delivered the joint statement in Tehran.
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This would transform Iran s southern port of Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman into a transit centre for trade between Iran, India and Afghanistan and central Asia generally, bypassing Pakistan. “Chabahar port can serve as a point of connectivity between different countries, especially India and Afghanistan, also east of Europe and Central Asia”, he said.
Modi will also hold talks with the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei.
Earlier, the Prime Minister was accorded a red carpet welcome on his arrival for his two-day visit which is the first bilateral visit by any Indian Prime Minister in the last 15 years.
Modi arrived in Tehran on Sunday on a two-day visit seeking to further cement Indo-Iranian ties and explore avenues to bolster trade in a big way in the wake of sanctions against Iran being lifted. “With Farzad-B [gas field], we have gone beyond the buyer-seller relationship to being genuine partners in the field of energy”, Mr Modi said.
“My meetings with President Rouhani and Hon’ble Supreme Leader of Iran will provide an opportunity to advance our strategic partnership”. He was given a red carpet welcome at the Mehrabad International Airport.
Expressing satisfaction over the progress made so far on the participation of India in development of the Iranian port of Chabahar, Modi said, “I am happy that a progress has been made on Chabahar Port and also on wider connectivity initiative involving Chabahar”.
“I am looking forward to my visit to Iran today & tomorrow, at the invitation of President Rouhani”, he added.
India and Iran signed an MoU for bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations between IPGPL [India Ports Global Private Limited] and Arya Banader of Iran.
Pointing out that while his country was rich in energy sources, India possessed mines, he said Chabahar port would become of strategic importance for economic and trade ties between the two countries.
Both sides agreed to allow India to lease two docks at the port for a period of 10 years, a move that was meant to cut New Delhi’s crude oil and urea transportation costs by around 30 percent.
Gadkari said India Ports Global Pvt, a joint venture of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Kandla Port Trust, will invest Dollars 85 million in developing two container berths with a length of 640 metres and three multi cargo berths.
In March this year, Pakistan and Iran discussed the possibility of better connectivity between Gwadar and Chabahar during talks between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Iranian President Rouhani in Islamabad.
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India has “shared interest” in peace and prosperity of the region, Mr Modi said, adding that combating the menace of worldwide terrorism and radical ideologies is a common challenge.”Taking concrete steps for enhancing regional connectivity is one of the most important and promising dimensions of the growing cooperation between our two countries”, Mr Modi said.
