The Chabahar Port had also figured in delegation-level talks last month

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Iran's Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani discussed the progress of the Chabahar Port during a phone call on Tuesday.

"The two sides discussed various elements of bilateral relations including progress on the Chabahar Port," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said after the call.

Foreign Secretary Kwatra underscored India's commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Iran in addressing shared opportunities and challenges. Both sides also discussed international and regional issues including Afghanistan, the MEA added.

The Chabahar Port had also figured in delegation-level discussions in New Delhi between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The MEA had said that they agreed that the Chabahar Port had given landlocked Afghanistan much-needed sea access and had also developed into a commercial transportation centre for the area, notably for Central Asia.

The two sides had reiterated their determination to work together to build Chabahar Port, and decided that teams from both nations would get together soon to discuss operational issues.

The Trilateral Agreement (Chabahar Agreement) to build the International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed by India, Iran, and Afghanistan during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Iran in May 2016.

India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Terminal, Chabahar Port in cooperation with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), an Indian corporation, and its fully owned subsidiary, India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), took over the management of the Chabahar Port with effect from December 24, 2018.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on December 12 last year, EAM Jaishankar had said the Shahid Behesti Terminal, Chabahar Port had handled shipments and trans-shipments from various countries including Russia, Brazil, Thailand, Germany, Ukraine, Oman, Romania, Bangladesh, Australia, Kuwait, Uzbekistan and UAE.

The Chabahar Port has provided much needed sea-access to the landlocked Afghanistan. The port has also emerged as a commercial transit hub for the region. It is a more economical and stable route for landlocked countries of the region to reach India and the global market, EAM Jaishankar's reply had pointed out.

The port also facilitated the delivery of humanitarian assistance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the building of Shahid Behesti Terminal, Chabahar Port, India has provided a total grant aid of USD 85 million and a credit facility of USD 150 million.

India provided six mobile harbour cranes and other equipment worth USD 25 million as part of its contribution to the building infrastructure of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal, Chabahar Port.

Due to its geographical location in the Gulf of Oman and at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, the Chabahar Port is of enormous strategic significance since it gives India direct access to central Asia and Afghanistan.

Apart from this, the China-built Gwadar Port in Pakistan is also relatively close to the Chabahar Port. By taking part in the development of the Chabahar Port, India would therefore have a foothold in a crucial geographic area from a strategic standpoint.