Latest News | Working Group Discusses Chabahar Port's Role in Supporting Afghanistan's Reconstruction, Eco Development
Get latest articles and stories on Latest News at LatestLY. India on Friday hosted the Third Working Group meeting on Chabahar Port here, with participants emphasising the importance of the harbour in supporting Afghanistan's reconstruction and economic development, an official release said.
Mumbai, Nov 22 (PTI) India on Friday hosted the Third Working Group meeting on Chabahar Port here, with participants emphasising the importance of the harbour in supporting Afghanistan's reconstruction and economic development, an official release said.
The meeting, attended by India, Iran and Uzbekistan and a delegation from the Afghanistan Chambers of Commerce, also emphasised providing an alternate trade corridor to Central Asia, it added.
"During the meeting, participants emphasised the importance of Chabahar Port in supporting Afghanistan's reconstruction and economic development, as well as providing an alternate trade corridor to Central Asia," as per the release.
They also noted the increase in transit traffic through Chabahar Port and discussed ways to enhance the regional connectivity, it noted.
The meeting was followed by interaction with the members of the business community, the release said, adding that a presentation on the operations of Shahid Beheshti Terminal, Chabahar Port, highlighting the facilities being offered for transit, was delivered by India Ports Global Limited (IPGL).
India, on May 13 this year, signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar that will help it expand trade with Central Asia.
The Chabahar Port on the Gulf of Oman, which New Delhi had proposed to develop way back in 2003, will provide Indian goods with a gateway to reach landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia using a road and rail project called the International North-South Transport Corridor, bypassing Pakistan.
The long-term agreement was signed by IPGL and the Port & Maritime Organisation of Iran, replacing an initial 2016 pact, which covered India's operations at Shahid Beheshti Terminal in Chabahar Port and had been renewed on an annual basis.
During the interaction, traders expressed keen interest in utilising the Chabahar Port for trade and transit. The business community was encouraged to come forward with suggestions to further enhance the trade and transit through the port to realise its full potential, the official release said.
IPGL through its wholly-owned subsidiary, India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), took over the operations of the Chabahar Port on December 24, 2018.
Since then, the port has handled over 450 vessels, 1,34,082 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent) of containerised cargo and more than 8.7 million tons of bulk cargo.
There has been an increase of 1,200 per cent in container handling during the last financial year, as per the release.
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