Why Chabahar can never outflank Gwadar Port
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ISLAMABAD - Gwadar’s geopolitical location-- close to the Straits of Hormuz-- awards it a whip hand over remaining ports across region as it would give Pakistan complete control of energy routes.
Pakistan’s Gwadar outflanks Iran’s Chabahar in myriad terms. The cost and time to transport cargo trade to Iran’s Chabahar are ten times more than Gwadar as planned capacity of former with 300 to 400 million tons of annual cargo comprehensively outmaneuvers latter who has capacity of barely 10 to 20 million tons of annual cargo.
Owing to the fact that Pakistan is blessed with 700 kilometers long coastline, Gwadar has potential to be expanded as much as one would desire in the future pretext of soaring trade. Chabahar—contrary to that—does not enjoy any such luxury. Furthermore, Iran will never allow India’s Central Asian dream to be juxtapositioned vis-à-vis Tehran’s regional interests.
Pakistan has also made it overtly clear to China that Gwadar venture is purely based on shared economic interests. Strategists in Islamabad would not allow China to use Gwadar for military purpose as it could possibly hinder the economic uplift of the country.
