After signing of agreements in Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, “Chabahar can become a very big symbol of co-operation between Iran and India”.
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Prime Minister began his official engagements in Iran today after he was received ceremonially by President Rouhani.
It said with the launch of trade via Chabahar port, Afghanistan could earn millions by shipping huge quantity of goods and services to Central Asia. In the joint statement PM Modi, said that India and Iran were old friends.
Modi will also call on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well before his return.
“Reached Iran, a land with whom India shares civilisational ties”. “The President looks forward to discussing progress made on our climate change and clean energy partnership, security and defense cooperation, and economic growth priorities”.
He said the trilateral agreement on using Chabahar-Zahedan-Zaranj as a corridor would be a game changer for regional connectivity, especially for Afghanistan, which can find an assured and reliable alternative access to India via sea.
From the third year, India will guarantee 30,000 TEUs of cargo at the Chabahar port which will go up to 2,50,000 TEUs by the 10th year.
The other agreements include cooperation in culture, science and technology, library sciences, and cooperation between the exim banks of both countries.
India and Iran on Monday signed an agreement to develop Chabahar port and related infrastructure, with India offering Iran $500 million.
Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said “tomorrow, under the leadership of PM Modi, agreement on development of Chabahar port will take place between the two nations”.
In May 2014, India and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the port once the global sanctions against Iran were lifted.
“We should raise our complaints… and ask them [India] to be more honest in their trade with Iran, and to fulfil their obligations more seriously”, the paper says.
According to Iranian media reports, India is now seeking to double its imports of Iranian oil. India also reduced its oil imports from Iran in the following years.
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“Iran and India have been on each other’s sides even in times of difficulty”, stressed the official pointing out that he was impressed by the dignity and personality of Iran’s Leader during an earlier visit.
