India, Iran discuss development of Chabahar Port, trade relations

New Delhi: India and Iran on Friday carried out a comprehensive review of their ties including the joint development of the Chabahar port, ways to boost trade and economic engagement and possible cooperation in agriculture and some other sectors.

At the 19th India-Iran Foreign Office Consultations held in Delhi, the Iranian side is learnt to have requested New Delhi to explore ways to resume procurement of Iranian crude oil.

India stopped the procurement of crude oil from Iran in mid-2019 following sanctions imposed on the Persian Gulf nation by the United States.

The Iranian delegation at the talks was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi while the Indian side was headed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Ravanchi met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the discussions focused on bilateral matters and current regional challenges.

"Discussed our bilateral ties, progress in Chabahar port and regional developments. Confident that the Foreign Office Consultations will give a momentum to our partnership," Jaishankar said on X.

Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.

On the Foreign Office Consultations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two sides "reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relationship, including Chabahar Port, agricultural cooperation, trade and economic issues, as well as cultural and people-to-people ties".

It is understood that the Iranian deputy foreign minister underlined the need for boosting tourism between the two countries as part of enhancing people-to-people ties.

The discussions also covered current regional and global developments, including the situation in Afghanistan, West Asia, and the South Caucasus, the MEA said in a statement.

"The foreign secretary highlighted the significance of Chabahar Port in supporting Afghanistan's reconstruction and economic development," it said.

The sides also reiterated their commitment to deepen cooperation in multilateral fora, including at the United Nations, BRICS (Brazil-Russia- India-China-South Africa) and the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), the MEA said.

Though the BRICS originally derived its name from the early members, it now includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Ahead of the Foreign Office Consultations, a senior Iranian official said Tehran is looking at ways to resume supplying crude oil to India and is keen on expanding the overall trade basket including in the petro-chemical sector through the Chabahar port.

The official had said the development of Chabahar port has offered significant opportunities for India and Iran to boost trade and economic engagement. The port is outside the purview of US sanctions against Tehran.