Source: Press TV
The United States has welcomed India's plan to expand Iran's Chabahar
port as a project that a top military official says will help the long-term
stability of Afghanistan. US Army General John Nicholson, who commands US
combat operations in Afghanistan, told the US Senate in a hearing that he
welcomed the Chabahar project because it would offer Afghanistan a viable and
economic alternative to shipping all its goods via Pakistan.
Significance of Chabahr port to the region
(see detailed map)
"Iranian-Indian-Afghan cooperation over the Chabahar port presents great
economic potential. With over $2 billion development aid executed since 2002,
and another $1 billion pledged in 2016, India's significant investments in
Afghan infrastructure, engineering, training, and humanitarian issues will help
develop Afghan human capital and long-term stability," General Nicholson told a
US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on February 9, as reported by Asia
Times news website.
As per a basic agreement signed between Iran and India last May, India is to
equip and operate two berths in Phase I of Chabahar project with a capital
investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $22.95 million on
a ten year lease.
Besides the bilateral pact to develop the Chabahar port, for which India will
invest $500 million, a trilateral agreement to create a transport and transit
corridor that would start from Chabahar and lead to Afghanistan has also been
signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran.
Last week, India said that it expected to complete the first phase of the
construction of Chabahar port in 2018.
"We can complete the work on the first phase of the project in 2018... The funds
are likely to be released shortly. Tenders are out for the project," India's
Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari was quoted as
saying by the media.
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