Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has departed for a four-day visit to Iran to review the progress of the first phase of the strategically important Chabahar Port and explore opportunities to strengthen trade connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.
During the visit, Sonowal will hold discussions with senior Iranian government officials, interact with Chabahar Port stakeholders and participate in business-to-business (B2B) meetings to explore trade and investment opportunities.
Speaking before his departure, the Minister said the visit would focus on assessing the port’s development and identifying business opportunities between South Asia and Central Asia. He reiterated India’s vision of positioning Chabahar Port as a major transit hub linked to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
Located in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province along the Gulf of Oman, Chabahar Port is being developed through cooperation between India, Iran and Afghanistan to strengthen regional trade and connectivity.
India aims to leverage the port as a strategic gateway to Central Asian markets, providing the landlocked countries of the region with secure and commercially viable access to the Indian Ocean. Linking Chabahar with the INSTC is expected to facilitate EXIM cargo movement towards Russia, Europe and Central Asia while reducing transit time and logistics costs.
Sonowal’s visit comes a fortnight after India hosted an event marking ‘Chabahar Day’, highlighting the theme ‘Chabahar – Link to INSTC – Connecting Central Asian Markets’.
India’s involvement in the development of Chabahar dates back to 2015. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Iran in May 2016, the two countries signed an agreement involving an investment of USD 500 million for developing the port and associated infrastructure. India, Iran and Afghanistan subsequently signed a trilateral agreement to facilitate the movement of goods among the three countries through Chabahar.
As part of his return journey, Sonowal will also visit Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s busiest ports and a major maritime and logistics hub in the Middle East.
The visit underlines India’s continued efforts to strengthen maritime connectivity, expand trade corridors and enhance its strategic engagement with Central Asia and the wider international trade network.