India, Iran take Taliban in loop for North-South Trade Corridor

By Manish Anand

New Delhi, March 9: Within two months of the visit of External Affairs Minister Subhramanyam Jaishankar to Iran, there appears a trilateral convergence to bring to life the Chabahar Port to give effect to the North-South Trade Corridor (NSTC). A delegation led by a senior diplomatic official from India has called on Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amr Khan Mottaqi.

Iran and Afghanistan separately have an inked an investment deal to make Kabul a partner in the Chabahar Port. Sabena Siddiqui has reported in Al Monitor that the Taliban administration has invested $35 million in the Chabahar Port. She has noted that Iran and Afghanistan are maintaining close ties to boost their trade relations. She has also underlined in the report that the Chabahar Port is seen by Afghanistan as a strategic way to connect with the outer world.

Incidentally, neither India nor Iran recognizes the Taliban administration. China is the only country which has recognized the Taliban. However, India maintains a technical mission, which was opened in June 2022. Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in his weekly briefing this week had admitted that a senior Indian official led a delegation to meet the top Taliban leadership. Iran also has allowed the Taliban to use its consulate in Tehran.

Within days of Jaishankar’s visit to Tehran, Iran had cleared the 10-year deal with India with an automatic renewal for the Indian investment in the Chabahar Port. This port allows Iran an access to the Indian Ocean. Also, the Chabahar Port allows India to bypass Pakistan to connect to Afghanistan, Iran, and he Central Asia. Besides, the Chabahar Port is key to the Indian ambition to cut down on the transport cost and time for trade with Russia and other countries in the Central Asian region.

The fast-paced action to onboard the Taliban administration for the crucial Chabahar Port has come at a time when the UN Expert Richard Bennet had cautioned the countries against normalizing ties with Kabul despite the prevailing gross abuse of the human rights. But China has gone ahead to embrace the Taliban in pursuit to mine the rich mines and mineral, including critical minerals.

India also appears adjusting to the realities that it stands to gain with cheaper imports from Russia, of oil and gas as well as coal and also wheat if there be a need in future. The Chabahar Port will make the imports economically attractive while also giving India a strategic heft in the Central Asian region.

Subscribe: youtube.com/@TheRaisinaHills Join: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaFAp9b60eBiuA8v1x0s

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save

About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

See author's posts