*New Delhi: *Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari today said India andIran have resolved all issues related to Chabahar port and will expeditethe development works.
The minister said India has already sent its first consignment of wheat toAfghanistan through Chabahar port. “We have resolved all issues related toChabahar Port… There were some small problems. We have discussed theissues and there has been a positive approach. Already, we have startedexport of wheat,” Mr Gadkari said after his meeting with Iranian TransportMinister Abbas Akhoundi in New Delhi.
On the hurdles with respect to the Chabahar Port development, the transportand water resources minister said, “The issues were small regarding port,its operations, regarding how we calculate the profit.”
An official privy to the meeting told PTI that all hurdles related tointerim operationalisation of the pact have been cleared during the meeting.
India last year shipped its first cargo of wheat to Afghanistan through theIranian port. India has plans to export 130,000 tonnes of wheat toAfghanistan through Chabahar Port.
Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan province in theenergy-rich Persian Gulf nation’s southern coast, lies outside the PersianGulf and is easily accessed from India’s western coast, bypassing Pakistan.
Mr Gadkari said, “We are supporting developmental issues in Iran andIndia… Today’s meeting was very fruitful. In due course of time, therewill be lots of development in Chabahar.”
The minister said there will be a lot of opportunities for Indianbusinessmen and investors to invest in Chabhar and “at the same time,Iranian investors are also keen to invest in India. It is a win-winsituation for both the countries. Discussions were very fruitful”.
“In due course of time, we will complete the work of the port. It can be agrowth engine for India for making our exports to Afghanistan and Russiaalso. We don’t need to go to Pakistan for that. It is a goldenopportunity,” the minister said.
This will open the gate for investors from both the countries, he said.
Mr Akhoundi said India and Iran should move together to make it moresuccessful.
He said discussions also focused on developing infrastructure, logistic etc.
For greater trade and investment flow with Iran and neighbouring countries,the Cabinet in 2016 had cleared proposals for development of Chabahar portincluding a USD 150 million credit from Exim Bank.
It had also authorised the shipping ministry to form a company in Iran forimplementing the Chabahar Port Development Project and related activities.
As per the MoU signed between the two nations in May last year, India is toequip and operate two berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with capitalinvestment of USD 85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of USD 22.95million on a 10-year lease.
Ownership of the equipment will be transferred to the Iranian side oncompletion of 10 years or for an extended period, based on mutualagreement. The Iranian side had requested for provision of a credit of USD150 million in accordance with the MoU.