- By Kamal Kumar
- Fri, 17 May 2024 08:15 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Chabahar Deal: Reacting to the United States's sanction bluster, India on Friday reminded Washington of the importance of the Chabahar port in providing 'connectivity' and 'assistance' to the region's landlocked countries, especially Afghanistan. While reacting to a question on the US's sanction warning over deals with Tehran, the External Affairs Ministry asked it to "not take a narrow view of the important project." Earlier on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called for refraining from taking a narrow view of the Chabahar port citing its potential benefits for everyone.
India's stance came days after the United States made a veiled warning that "anyone" considering business deals with Tehran needs to be aware of the "potential risk of sanctions. However, Vedant Patel, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, also said that they would let the Indian government speak on its foreign policy objectives.
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"We are aware of these reports that Iran and India have signed a deal concerning the Chabahar Port, I would let the government of India speak to its own foreign policy goals, vis-a-vis the Chabahar Port as well as its bilateral relationship with Iran," Vedant Patel said in the press briefing on Monday (local time).
Later responding to the US's bluster, Indian EAM asked the country to take a measured view of the important connectivity project. "I did see some of the remarks which were made, but I think it's a question of communicating, convincing and getting people to understand, that this is actually for everyone's benefit. I don't think people should take a narrow view of it," Jaishankar had said.
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#WATCH | Delhi: On Chabahar Port, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "On May 13, we signed the long-term agreement for the operation of Chabahar port. Our minister was there. It's a major achievement. We see Chabahar as India's commitment towards realizing the potential of… pic.twitter.com/osK91Yo9mM
— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2024
"On May 13, we signed the long-term agreement for the operation of Chabahar port. Our minister was there. It's a major achievement. We see Chabahar as India's commitment towards realizing the potential of the place as a connectivity hub for Afghanistan and landlocked central Asian countries. This port has been operated by Indian Ports Global Limited, since 2018. And through the port, we've been able to supply a lot of and provide a lot of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan... The United States also understands the importance of Chabahar port... It has an important role to play as far as the region and its connectivity is concerned, particularly for the landlocked countries in the area," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaisawal reiterated India's call for a broader perspective on the issue.