New Delhi, March 15: Amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh has raised concerns about the Indian government’s strategy regarding the Chabahar Port in Iran. He stated that Chabahar is no longer visible on the geopolitical landscape, marking a second strategic setback for India’s Central Asia diplomacy.
In a post on the social media platform ‘X’ on Sunday, Ramesh remarked, “Continuity in governance is a fundamental truth that the current government never acknowledges.”
He further elaborated, “Since the late 1990s, India has been exploring investment opportunities at Chabahar under the India-Afghanistan-Iran cooperation strategy. After participating in the 16th Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran, Manmohan Singh revitalized these plans, leading the Cabinet to approve an initial investment of $115 million in May 2013. It is important to remember that this decision was made at a time when India was taking significant steps to implement the India-U.S. nuclear agreement signed in October 2008.”
Ramesh pointed out, “In October 2014, the BJP government, as it often does, repackaged Manmohan Singh’s Chabahar initiative and presented it as part of the Prime Minister’s vision. However, the 2026-27 budget does not allocate any funds for Chabahar. Does this mean that India has withdrawn from this project, or have its investment obligations been fulfilled for now?”
The former Union Minister noted, “In any case, Chabahar, located about 170 kilometers east of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which has been developed by China, is no longer visible on the geopolitical map. This represents a second strategic blow to India’s Central Asia diplomacy, especially after India previously closed its airbase near Ayni in Tajikistan.”
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