The first Trilateral Working Group (TWG) Meeting between India, Iran and Uzbekistan on the joint use of Chabahar Port was held virtually on December 14, 2020.
TWG Salient Features
- The participants discussed joint use of Chabahar Port for trade and transit purposes and enhanced regional connectivity.
- All sides also noted the significant role played by Chabahar port for the region to deliver humanitarian assistance during the COVID pandemic.
- It said, all sides also welcomed India’s proposal to hold “Chabahar Day” on the sidelines of the International Maritime Summit scheduled to be hosted by India in January 2021.
- The meeting was held as a follow up of decisions taken during the virtual summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Uzbekistan on 11th December 2020.
About Chabahar port
- The Chabahar port is located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran’s southern coast.
- It is a seaport in Chabahar located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman.
- It is being increasingly seen as a fulcrum of connectivity to Central Asia.
- The port is being developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan to boost trade ties among the three countries.
- The port can be easily accessed from India’s western coast, bypassing Pakistan.
- The port also has the potential to provide an Indian strategic counter to Pakistan’s Gwadar port being developed by China right next door to Chabahar.
(AIR, The Print)
