Introduction :- 

Economic Viability :- 

The viability of the strategic Chabahar Port in Iran as a route for trade and commerce was highlighted by India and Afghanistan, citing the role it played in the timely delivery of goods from India in the drought-hit areas of Afghanistan this year. 

The Chabahar Port, inaugurated in December last year, has opened a new strategic transit route between India, Iran and Afghanistan that bypassed Pakistan.

During the second meeting of India-Afghanistan Joint Working Group on Development Cooperation (JWG-DC) in Kabul yesterday, officials from the two countries underscored the importance of access through Chabahar Port for strengthening trade and economic relations. The Afghan side highly appreciated India's timely assistance of 170,000 tonnes of wheat and 2,000 tonnes of pulses this year when large parts of the country are suffering from drought, a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs said. 

Both sides expressed satisfaction that these largescale deliveries were made from India to Afghanistan via Chabahar, highlighting the viability of the Port as a route for trade and commerce. 

International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) :-

• Multi modal transport corridor signed in 2000 in St. Petersburg with Iran, Russia and India as founding members.
• It was expanded to include 11 new members: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman, Bulgaria.
• It aims to link India and Iran via the sea route and then through Iran to the Caspian sea onwards to Central Asia.

Relevance of Chabahar Port in India-Afghanistan Relations :-

• Boost to bilateral trade: The development of a port in Iran can serve as an alternative route. The perishables (e.g. fruits & vegetables) and dry fruits exported from Afghanistan to India face long custom clearance time at India- Pakistan borders. Moreover, Pakistan doesn't allow Afghan trucks to carry in return goods from India. Chabahar port can help the two countries overcome this limitation of overland trade.
• Goods brought at the port can be easily transported to the Afghan border & distributed to different parts of Afghanistan via Zaranj-Delaram highway.
• India can export the iron ore extracted from the Hajigak mines in Central Afghanistan through Chabahar port.
• Reducing Pakistan’s Influence: Afghanistan has historically been dependent on Pakistani territory for access to maritime trade from the Arabian Sea, giving Islamabad monopoly on most trade with Kabul and influence Afghanistan's economic & political life. The Chabahar Port reduces Afghanistan's dependence on Karachi Port and might help India to contain Pakistan’s influence in Afghanistan.
• Regional Integration of Afghanistan: India believes that increased regional cooperation will encourage all stakeholders to view Afghanistan as an avenue of cooperation rather than competition, which in turn could promote stability in Afghanistan.
• Access to Central Asia: India can use its presence in Afghanistan as a base to expand its presence further north to the Central Asian Republics (CARs). India's plans to extend the Zaranj-Delaram highway to connect with Uzbekistan should be seen in this context.

Other Initiatives to increase connectivity with Afghanistan :-

• India-Afghanistan Air Corridor: To reduce dependence on the Karachi port for foreign trade, subsidized air cargo facilities between India & Afghanistan were announced at Heart of Asia Conference 2016. But, the arrangement still faces logistical problems such as lack of air cargo planes etc.
• Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA): Under this agreement, goods originating in Afghanistan would be allowed transit upto Wagah and in return Afghanistan will allow Pakistan the transit route to Central Asian Republics (CARs). But, the progress on APTTA has been slowed due to tensions between India & Pakistan and individual alternate connectivity efforts by the countries
• India working on Chabahar port to bypass Pakistan.
• Pakistan connecting to China through Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan region once CPEC corridor is ready.
• Afghanistan consolidating its position as an important component in China's OBOR initiative with train connecting Yiku in China to Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan.
• International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC):Though Afghanistan is not a member, INSTC will boost connectivity to Afghanistan as well through Chabahar to Zaranj and Delaram. Recently, India signed a MoU with Russia to fast-track implementation of INSTC. Russian Railways Logistics Joint Stock Company (RZD) and Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) signed the MoU for providing logistics services on INTSC.