India, Iran, Afghanistan discuss Chabahar Port Development

Chabahar [Iran], Dec 3 (ANI): Minister of State (Shipping) Pon Radhakrishnan, who represented India at the inauguration of the first phase of the Chabahar port on Sunday, also took part in a trilateral meeting on the Chabahar Port development.

During his two day visit on December 2-3, Radhakrishnan represented India in the second India-Iran-Afghanistan ministerial-level trilateral meeting on the Chabahar Port development.

Reiterating the commitment to complete and operationalise the Port at the earliest, Radhakrishnan, along with Iranian Transport Minister Dr Abbas Akhoundi and Afghanistan Trade and Commerce Minister Humayoon Rasaw, reviewed and positively assessed the progress in the development of the Chabahar Port in the trilateral meeting.

The three sides also commended the recent joint efforts, which led to the transit of first consignment of 1,10,000 tonnes of wheat from India to Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port, which Swaraj remarked as a gift from Indians to Afghans.

The inaugural trilateral meeting was held in September 2016 in New Delhi.

The ministers agreed to further intensify efforts on issues concerning regional connectivity and focussing on the Chabahar Port development under the trilateral transit and trade agreement at the trilateral meeting.

Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar Port, for which India will invest USD 500 million, a trilateral agreement on transport and transit corridor was also signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran.

Radhakrishnan appreciated the Iranian side on the recent steps taken towards ratification by the Majlis of Iran on the trilateral transit and trade agreement signed in May 2016 between India, Iran and Afghanistan.

Earlier, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the first phase of the Chabahar Port in the presence of representatives from India, Afghanistan and several other countries of the region.

The Chabahar Port, also known as the Shahid Beheshti Port, on Sunday, opens a new transit route between Afghanistan, Iran and India.(ANI)