PNN – India has announced that it is working to secure a renewed US sanctions waiver to continue operations at Chabahar Port.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; India has stated that it is seeking a way to obtain a renewed exemption from US sanctions so that it can continue its activities at Iran’s Chabahar Port.
Kirti Vardhan Singh, an official from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, stated in response to questions from members of parliament that Chabahar Port was established to create a connectivity route between India and Afghanistan and holds strategic importance.
The U.S. sanctions waiver for Chabahar Port—which allowed India to operate at the port without facing U.S. sanctions—expired on April 26.
Following the revocation of this waiver as part of the U.S. “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, India received temporary and limited waivers at various times to continue its operations in Chabahar.
India had previously announced that the use of Chabahar Port is crucial for expanding trade with Afghanistan and strengthening economic ties with Central Asian nations.
In May 2024, the Indian government signed an agreement with Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, pledging $120 million for the port’s development.
Chabahar Port is a vital transit route for India, enabling access to Afghanistan and Central Asian markets without the need to transit through Pakistan.
Afghanistan has also utilized Chabahar as an alternative route for trade and the transport of goods. The port’s importance has grown following restrictions imposed on Afghanistan’s traditional transit routes—particularly the route through Pakistan.