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IT WILL CLEAR PATHWAY FOR BIGGER INVESTMENTS': EAM JAISHANKAR ON CHABAHAR PORT
YB WEB DESK. Dated: 5/15/2024 7:49:07 AM
* "We have a separate corridor, the IMEC corridor through Saudi Arabia. So I think I would await confirmation of the agreement, you know, Nothing is done till it's done," he added.
Mumbai,May 14 As Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday departed for Iran for the expected signing of the Chabahar port pact, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday asserted that the possible signing agreement between India and Iran will pave the way for bigger investments and will connect India to Central Asia. "On the Chabahar agreement, my understanding is my cabinet colleague Sarbananda Sonawalji is today going to Iran and it is expected that we would see the long-term agreement between India and Iran on Chabahar. We've been running it on the basis of ad hoc arrangements. This is not because of any problem on the Indian side. The issue was really there was a lot of problems as to exactly who the combination of partners would be in Iran," he said during a media interaction in Mumbai. "So we believe that as and when a long-term arrangement is concluded, it will clear the pathway for bigger investments to be made in the port. Right now, the port has not grown because actually we didn't, you know, if you don't have a long-term agreement, it's very difficult to invest in a port. So the very clear expectation is that the Chabahar port, at least that part of the Chabahar port that we are involved in, that will definitely see more investments," he added. The minister also highlighted the India-Middle- East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) agreement which was reached during the G20 summit hosted by India last year and said that that Chabahar port will connect the International north-south transport corridor. "It will see more connectivity linkages coming out of that port. And we believe today that connectivity is a very big issue in that part. International north-south transport corridor, which we're doing with Iran-Russia, Chabahar will connect us to that, also to Central Asia," he said. "We have a separate corridor, the IMEC corridor through Saudi Arabia. So I think I would await confirmation