(a) whether the Government had signed an MoU with the Government of Iran for the construction of Chabahar Port;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government remained inactive with regard to this project as a result of which Iran is completing the same on its own and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether such an attitude is continuously proving detrimental to the relationship being shared by India with its friendly countries; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) & (b) During the visit of the Prime Minister to Iran in May 2016, a Trilateral Agreement to establish the International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
(c) to (e) The Indian company, India Ports Global Limited, has taken over port operations in December 2018 and has since handled 12 lakhs tons of bulk cargo and about 8200 containers. In the recent past, there has been a rise in transit cargo for Afghanistan through Chabahar. India’s assistance of 75,000 tons of wheat to Afghanistan, of which eight consignments have already been shipped, is being supplied via Chabahar. The port has handled over 53,000 tons of India’s wheat bound for Afghanistan since the beginning of the current fiscal year. Afghan exports to India are also routed via Chabahar Port.
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