India Secures Six-Month US Waiver for Chabahar Port | 01 Nov 2025

Source: TH

Why in News? 

India has received a six-month waiver from US sanctions on Iran’s Chabahar Port, allowing continued Indian operations there until at least April 2026.

What are the Key Facts About the Chabahar Port?

• Location and Geography: Chabahar Port is situated in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province on the Gulf of Oman, near the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.
  • The Chabahar Port project comprises two ports - Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti. 
  • It is Iran’s only oceanic and deep water port, giving direct access to the Indian Ocean.
  • The Chabahar port is located about 170 km west of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which is being developed by China under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
• Strategic and Economic Importance for India: Chabahar Port provides direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. 
  • It forms part of the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) linking India with Iran–Caspian Sea–Russia–Europe and strengthens India’s maritime connectivity and energy security in the Indian Ocean Region.
  • Chabahar port acts as a counterbalance to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Pakistan’s Gwadar Port under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
  • It serves as a linchpin of India’s “Connect Central Asia” and “Extended Neighbourhood” policies.
• India–Iran Cooperation: India entered into an agreement in 2005  with Iran to develop the port.
  • India and Iran signed an MoU in 2015 to develop the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar, which India formally took over in 2018 through India Ports Global Ltd. (IPGL).
• In 2016, a Trilateral Agreement was signed between India, Iran, and Afghanistan to establish an international transport and transit corridor through Chabahar.
• US Sanctions and Waivers: In 2018, the US granted India a waiver for Chabahar, recognising its role in supporting Afghanistan’s development. Later, the waiver was revoked in September 2025 making any entity linked with Chabahar liable to penalties under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act, 2012.
  • The six-month US sanctions waiver (October 2025–April 2026) allows uninterrupted Indian operations at the port.
• Current Status and Developments (as of 2025): The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has expressed interest in using Chabahar for trade, recognising its economic importance.
  • Efforts are ongoing to integrate Chabahar with INSTC and the proposed Chabahar–Zahedan–Mashhad rail link (with Iranian Railways).
  • The port continues to serve as a strategic node for India’s westward outreach despite geopolitical shifts.