India said the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar port in Iran was not damaged in recent U.S. strikes. The confirmation matters because Chabahar is a strategic maritime gateway for India’s connectivity plans with Iran and Central Asia.
U.S. officials had acknowledged that the United States struck Chabahar port as part of a renewed military campaign against Iran. India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said reports of an attack were received, but the terminal itself did not sustain damage.
The development keeps attention on Chabahar’s role in regional trade. India and Iran have been developing the port to improve connectivity and trade ties, and both countries promote it as an integral part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
Background and earlier position
Chabahar has been significant for India because it offers an alternative route to Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia through Iranian territory and the Arabian Sea. The Shahid Beheshti terminal is the Indian-developed terminal at Chabahar that is linked to wider connectivity plans.
The INSTC is a multi-modal transport corridor designed to connect India with Russia and Europe through Iran and other participating countries. Chabahar is widely treated as one of the important maritime links in that corridor.
Related current affairs
- Quadryfast sanctions, now war: India’s Chabahar plans up in the air
- Deeply concerned over hostilities in West Asia: Congress
- Jaishankar urges Iran to end attacks on commercial vessels
- Prime Minister speaks with the President of Iran
- Bridges hit, Chabahar port tower falls as Escalates Iran offensive
- U.S. bombs bridges in Iran as attacks widen