India – Iran to develop Chabahar Port

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Minister for Shipping and Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari returned to India on August 6, 2017, after a two- day visit to Tehran. He was there to represent the Indian Government at the oath taking ceremony of Dr Hassan Rouhani as the President of Iran for a second term on August 5, 2017.

In an interaction with Dr Rouhani,  Gadkari conveyed the Indian Prime Minister’s greetings and best wishes for a successful tenure to him. He also handed over the letter of felicitations from PM Narendra Modi extending an invitation to the President of Iran to visit India, according to a PIB release.

Gadkari later held wide ranging discussions on many issues including India’s cooperation in the development of Chabahar Port and proposed rail link between Chabahar and Zahedan. In the meetings, both sides positively assessed the progress in implementation of the decisions taken during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Iran last year including the progress of Chabahar Port. Both sides reiterated their commitment to complete and operationalise the Port at the earliest.

Gadkari called on the first Vice President Dr E Jahangiri and highlighted the issue of activation of contract of Chabahar Port development and conveyed to him that India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) has finalized procurement of critical equipments such as Rail Mounted Gantry Crane (RMGC) and is close to finalizing orders relating to Rubber Tyre Mobile Crane (RTMC), MT Container Handlers(MTCH), Truck and Tractor Trailers Containers and related equipments. He also conveyed India’s readiness to aid Iran in taking up operations in Chabahar Port during the interim period between the actual activation of contract. He requested the Iranian side for an early submission of loan application for Chabahar Port Development to EXIM Bank of India so that the contract agreement between the two countries can be activated, according to the PIB release.

It may be recalled that the Iranian side had requested India to provide upto 150 million dollar credit and had made it a condition for activation of the Chabahar Port contract.