RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 662
TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.06.2019
IMPACT OF AMERICAN BAN ON CHABAHAR PORT
†662. SHRI SANJAY SINGH:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that India is building Chabahar Port with the help of Iran which is an important project in order to check the increasing intrusion of China in the area; and
(b) if so, whether it would have any impact on the Chabahar Port project if India ceases to import oil from Iran due to the ban imposed on Iran by America?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) & (b) India is participating in the development of the first phase of Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran. Given its location, Chabahar Port opens up greater opportunities for promotion of trade
and commerce, especially from the ports along India's western coast, with Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia and beyond.
The Indian company, India Ports Global Limited, has taken over port operations at the Shaheed Behesti Port at Chabahar in December 2018 and has been successfully handling cargo since then.
Afghanistan has also started using the port facility. It has sent its first export consignment to India through Chabahar Port in February 2019. Subsequently, it has sent three more consignments to India through Chabahar Port in June 2019.
The U.S has shown understanding of the importance of the Chabahar Port operations for continued humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and to provide Afghanistan with economic alternatives.
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