Chabahar Port and India-Iran Relations

The Hindu (@the_hindu) Tweeted:
Iran drops India from Chabahar rail project, cites funding delay Iran drops India from Chabahar rail project, cites funding delay

India still has access to the ports right? It just means actually moving goods through Iran to/from the port will be under direct Iranian administration or at worst heavy Chinese influence.

There is also this
However, when asked if the MoU with IRCON had been cancelled, now that the project has been started without it, an official said India could still join at a “later date.”

Still...unacceptable that India let the ball drop so hard on something so crucial.

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Nothing dropped when they are under sanction. Iran has become a very unreliable partner recent years. Better not sink more of our money on them.

Unless India can get all of PoK or a benevolent Pakistani government I don't see any other option unless India just loses interest in Central Asia altogether.

Wasn't Iran supposed to be the gateway for India into Central Asian energy markets? Is that sphere just going to be conceded to China?

What about Afghanistan? Without a major trade link to India where do you suppose they will turn to? Preventing Afghanistan from becoming a puppet for Pakistan should be a paramount strategic objective for India and this trade network is a key to that end.
 
Unless India can get all of PoK or a benevolent Pakistani government I don't see any other option unless India just loses interest in Central Asia altogether.

Wasn't Iran supposed to be the gateway for India into Central Asian energy markets? Is that sphere just going to be conceded to China?

What about Afghanistan? Without a major trade link to India where do you suppose they will turn to? Preventing Afghanistan from becoming a puppet for Pakistan should be a paramount strategic objective for India and this trade network is a key to that end.
Right now all we have are preliminary reports. Let's be patient for more news to come in. Regarding Afghanistan our options are pretty much limited. Essentially the GoA are on their own. Supplies to Afghanistan from India can & is happening thru the air.

Our disengagement from the rail project doesn't automatically exclude us from exporting goods to Afghanistan thru Iran via the railroads there, irrespective of who builds & operates it. Let's not forget Iran & the Taliban don't get along & will never do so. The best part is none of them are under any illusions as well. Hence whatever relationship does exist between the two is strictly transactional thanks to the US presence there.

That's where India's role is vital as Iran isn't in a financially great position to cater to Afghanistan's needs & China would have it's own agenda. Keeping all this in mind, the Iranians would hedge their bets & not entirely exclude India from Chahbahar.

To conclude, India doesn't have an adversarial relationship with Iran in the way Pakistan does. Our relationship with Iran has been complicated due to global geopolitics , our relationship & dependence on the US owing to our own compulsions thanks to our neighborhood.

Besides, Iran has itself to blame for India's reticence in investing in Iranian projects as in the short time period that the sanctions were lifted, Iran reneged or were threatening to do so from earlier agreements with India on everything from Chahbahar to prospecting from oil & gas in the Persian Gulf to building up of a petrochemical & fertilizer complex in their attempt to strike a hard bargain.

Once Trump reverted with sanctions rejecting the JCPOA, the boot was on the other foot. The
Iranians resorted to pleading, blackmailing, etc . to get us to partner them in those projects .Unfortunately, all this precludes us from playing our legitimate role in the CAR including Afghanistan & in the ME.
 
India is already running the Chabahar port, this rail contract is not that important and we can't risk sanctions on our Rail industries for this small contract.
 
Iran will use India to balance out China, so we are not done and dusted yet.

Even though we lost the rail link, perhaps due to our own apathy, the connection to Afghanistan will become all the more robust with the Iranian link. We need it to connect to the CIS as well, so companies that we willing to do business will benefit.
 
Iran will use India to balance out China, so we are not done and dusted yet.

Even though we lost the rail link, perhaps due to our own apathy, the connection to Afghanistan will become all the more robust with the Iranian link. We need it to connect to the CIS as well, so companies that we willing to do business will benefit.
I just wish with the Israelis onboard , Saudis manage to do something against the Mullahs. The world needs a regime change in Iran.
 
Unless India can get all of PoK or a benevolent Pakistani government I don't see any other option unless India just loses interest in Central Asia altogether.

Wasn't Iran supposed to be the gateway for India into Central Asian energy markets? Is that sphere just going to be conceded to China?

What about Afghanistan? Without a major trade link to India where do you suppose they will turn to? Preventing Afghanistan from becoming a puppet for Pakistan should be a paramount strategic objective for India and this trade network is a key to that end.

Unless until India has no access to Wakhan corridor, India can't do anything in central Asia or Afghanistan. And no one will allow India to get POJK not even west. Because that will boost Indian economy. Afghanistan is already a backyard of Pakistan. Indians should come out from sleep.

India has lots of problems, due to delay in action , political threat from Sonia Gandhi and also External threat from China, Pakistan and Economical threat from many countries.
 
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Unless until India has no access to Wakhan corridor, India can't do anything in central Asia or Afghanistan. And no one will allow India to get POJK not even west. Because that will boost Indian economy. Afghanistan is already a backyard of Pakistan. Indians should come out from sleep.

India has lots of problems, due to delay in action , political threat from Sonia Gandhi and also External threat from China, Pakistan and Economical threat from many countries.
actually i have deferred opinion on this becoz POJK re-merging with mother land India its not far may be in this decade , re assuring statement form top political leaders about POJK is part of India not a bluff either they foreseen what is coming or they making some subtitle statement about other world power on a future conflict, believe me am not a pro NDA guy and am a critics to them but considering fact like all these pro POJK statements made in non election period and non conflict time hints to a possible re merging attempt from India side also from uri feb26 and even last china India stand off shows changed Indian prospective, India not willing to back down , so considering Pakistanis current clod response to what ever thing happening on LOc and china aggressive posture on LAC point to same conclusion i said above, china simply want to test our threshold what we done with pak on feb26 , now china know that even on a settlement for a forward post India ready to bleed and and make the enemy bleed makes the statement returning to status qoe is the best option for both sides , regarding Pakistan currently they are in no position to challenge India even feb27 evidently showed it once they failed in strike mission but achieved the narration building by a single POW they went back to we want peace mod if you check history once Indian strike Pakistani targets they go for undeclared war and if they beaten to pulp they make these statements like we want peace, so once a well coordinated push from India side became reality Pakistan well know that it cant hold the ground and loose POK to India, the only option Pakistan now have is include china in future conflict that is why post aug 2019 interactions between china and Pakistan well in the domain of Kashmir even their last air warfare exercise mostly focused on collaborative engagement of two air power on high altitude air battle
 
I just wish with the Israelis onboard , Saudis manage to do something against the Mullahs. The world needs a regime change in Iran.

They can only be booted out of power, and that's not happening in the hands of Iranians and definitely not the Saudis or Israelis. Only the US can do it.
 


Indian govt sources said, “Both sides remain committed to Chabahar-Zahedan railway project." Adding, "We are very much in the game but progress is slow due to current political environment".

New Delhi sees the various connectivity projects in the West Asian country as the "paradigm driving India-Iran relations". The Chabahar - Zahedan port & rail project and the International North-South Corridor (INSTC) from Mumbai to Moscow that passes via Iran are key connectivity projects both countries are working on. Chabahar port project is the better known of these connectivity projects.

Indian government sources said, "Both vectors enjoy a great deal of convergence among decision-makers in the two countries and beyond. This is therefore not merely an India-Iran initiative but one which generates considerable interest from Central Asian Republics and the Republic of Azerbaijan."

According to Iran media reports, Iran Railway on July 7 started laying track for the 628 km railway project with 150 km section to be completed by March 2021. The full length of the track is expected to be completed by March 2022.

Under the bilateral agreement, Iran is to lay the substructure which has seen delays due to lack of funds. Upon completion of substructure, India will supply the stock and operationalisation is to be done jointly.

Another hiccup has been that Iran was procuring steel from Indian suppliers. This has been suspended due to US sanctions as steel is a sanctioned commodity. Presidential elections next summer and domestic politics are also in play in the country and that sources believe does impact the project.

As regards financing, broad terms have been agreed upon and these are approximately in the range of $800 million.
 
Unless until India has no access to Wakhan corridor, India can't do anything in central Asia or Afghanistan. And no one will allow India to get POJK not even west. Because that will boost Indian economy. Afghanistan is already a backyard of Pakistan. Indians should come out from sleep.

India has lots of problems, due to delay in action , political threat from Sonia Gandhi and also External threat from China, Pakistan and Economical threat from many countries.
problem here is the amount of money. i think china will invest 600 billion.this is huge. this money can buy loyalties. india was sleeping.india is more worried about american sanctions on iran and i think iran is unpredictable.
 
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actually i have deferred opinion on this becoz POJK re-merging with mother land India its not far may be in this decade , re assuring statement form top political leaders about POJK is part of India not a bluff either they foreseen what is coming or they making some subtitle statement about other world power on a future conflict, believe me am not a pro NDA guy and am a critics to them but considering fact like all these pro POJK statements made in non election period and non conflict time hints to a possible re merging attempt from India side also from uri feb26 and even last china India stand off shows changed Indian prospective, India not willing to back down , so considering Pakistanis current clod response to what ever thing happening on LOc and china aggressive posture on LAC point to same conclusion i said above, china simply want to test our threshold what we done with pak on feb26 , now china know that even on a settlement for a forward post India ready to bleed and and make the enemy bleed makes the statement returning to status qoe is the best option for both sides , regarding Pakistan currently they are in no position to challenge India even feb27 evidently showed it once they failed in strike mission but achieved the narration building by a single POW they went back to we want peace mod if you check history once Indian strike Pakistani targets they go for undeclared war and if they beaten to pulp they make these statements like we want peace, so once a well coordinated push from India side became reality Pakistan well know that it cant hold the ground and loose POK to India, the only option Pakistan now have is include china in future conflict that is why post aug 2019 interactions between china and Pakistan well in the domain of Kashmir even their last air warfare exercise mostly focused on collaborative engagement of two air power on high altitude air battle
first of all,pakistan will do everything to hold on kashmir even nuclear missile use is a possibility and second most important point is cpec and chinese second gateway to indian ocean.china knows that dependence on scs is not a right idea under any circumstances.during war time or localized skirmish,scs will be unavailable for china.this is why this pakistani route is like their jugular vein. if you try to disrupt cpec,they will attack you directly. i believe china and pakistan both showed their desire for two front. lac is still hot.best thing for india is to sign peace treaty otherwise no chance for india,only two front. i am not mocking you.i am just telling you the reality. look at lac.china don't want to go back from places they have captured.obviously they aren't fools.
 
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problem here is the amount of money. i think china will invest 600 billion.this is huge. this money can buy loyalties. india was sleeping.india is more worried about american sanctions on iran and i think iran is unpredictable.
Iran is illegally occupying a large Baloch territory which is their richest oil fields. This area was gifted to Iran by British during the "Great Game". Do you know what India can do? Shias get hammered all over including Pakistan. Do you think Iran can go against what India decides?

first of all,pakistan will do everything to hold on kashmir even nuclear missile use is a possibility and second most important point is cpec and chinese second gateway to indian ocean.china knows that dependence on scs is not a right idea under any circumstances.during war time or localized skirmish,scs will be unavailable for china.this is why this pakistani route is like their jugular vein. if you try to disrupt cpec,they will attack you directly. i believe china and pakistan both showed their desire for two front. lac is still hot.best thing for india is to sign peace treaty otherwise no chance for india,only two front. i am not mocking you.i am just telling you the reality. look at lac.china don't want to go back from places they have captured.obviously they aren't fools.
For very long I have asked one simple question from Pakistan, Where is that pen and the hand wielding that pen which will write the death sentence of 220 million Pakistanis? I have not got the answer till date. On another forum I had a very long debate with members about how India can wipe out Pakistan in less than five minutes. Over 75% population of Pakistan will be roasted within that time and 25% who remain alive will die in next 5-7 days. We have no sense of belonging for you. You keep talking of nukes and we keep hammering you. But do you know we are far beyond nukes. Read about those weapons and get educated. We Indians are taking on two nuke powers together and not backing off. Do you think we do not know what all these two nuke powers can do? Saamp kay bill main haath daalnain say pehley, saamp kay jaher ka ilaaz saath hona chahiyeh. And we have it.
 
Iran is illegally occupying a large Baloch territory which is their richest oil fields. This area was gifted to Iran by British during the "Great Game". Do you know what India can do? Shias get hammered all over including Pakistan. Do you think Iran can go against what India decides?


For very long I have asked one simple question from Pakistan, Where is that pen and the hand wielding that pen which will write the death sentence of 220 million Pakistanis? I have not got the answer till date. On another forum I had a very long debate with members about how India can wipe out Pakistan in less than five minutes. Over 75% population of Pakistan will be roasted within that time and 25% who remain alive will die in next 5-7 days. We have no sense of belonging for you. You keep talking of nukes and we keep hammering you. But do you know we are far beyond nukes. Read about those weapons and get educated. We Indians are taking on two nuke powers together and not backing off. Do you think we do not know what all these two nuke powers can do? Saamp kay bill main haath daalnain say pehley, saamp kay jaher ka ilaaz saath hona chahiyeh. And we have it.
Vstol don't mind but you and randomradio said the same thing about china.remember you guys were very confident about a secret deal and you even believed that China will not fire first bullet. Now look at indian position.look at all the panic in indian camp. Do you think China will allow indian influence in Iran? Sir real game is between you and China. With right money, agreements can be torn apart.

From what I understand,India should better worry about chabahar because this is the only port for India near strait of Hormuz. It is a tactical position vstol. Huge Chinese investment means no naval Base for India in chabahar. Same is not true with gwadar. Gwadar can host chinese warships. This great game is very interesting.now countries are fighting for influence in other countries.

Sir we haven't made nuclear missiles for fun.i know about your weapons of mass destruction but you are also aware of close collaboration of pakistan with china. Today India is facing problems from Nepal,China, pakistan and now iran turned it's attention towards huge amount of money. Try to understand big picture. I am not saying that India can't attack pakistan.obviously you can attack but now game is totally changed.i agree that pakistan is also facing problems with Iran and Afghanistan but we know Afghanistan quite well so we aren't worried about it. We have to live with it. We are worried about Irani border but with huge Chinese investment in Iran,things will change and probably favor pakistan in the long term.