New Delhi, December 14: The first trilateral Working Group meeting between India, Iran and Uzbekistan on the joint use of Chabahar port was held virtually on Monday, wherein participants held discussions on the use of the port for trade, transit and enhanced regional connectivity.

According to an official release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the participants of the meeting discussed the joint use of Chabahar port for trade and transit purposes and for enhancing regional connectivity. All three sides also noted the significant role of the port to deliver humanitarian assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic. Also Read | Electoral College Meets Today to Officially Elect Joe Biden as Next US President; Here’s What to Expect.

"All sides 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," said MEA.

The trilateral meeting was jointly chaired by Sanjeev Ranjan, Secretary (Shipping), Government of India, along with Uzbekistan Deputy Transport Minister D Dehkanov and Iranian Deputy Transport Minister Shahram Adamnejad.

The meeting was held after a series of decisions taken during the virtual summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on December 11. Also Read | New Variant of COVID-19 May be Behind Faster Spread of Infection, Says UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

In 2018, Iran and India had signed an agreement worth USD 85 million to develop the Chabahar Port in south-eastern Iran. The port is located in the Gulf of Oman, and provides an alternative route for trade between India and Afghanistan.

The United States has provided a "narrow exemption" to India from sanctions on the Chabahar project in Iran as it plays a vital role in transporting India's humanitarian supplies to war-torn Afghanistan.

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