The India-Central Asia Joint Working Group’s first meeting on development of Chabahar Port is underway in Mumbai. The two-day meet, which began on Wednesday, was one of the key outcomes of the Delhi Declaration of the first India Central Asia summit held in January last year.

India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are among the nations taking part in the forum. Iran and the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) are among the special invitees.

The construction of the Shahid Behesti Terminal (SBT) and the use of the Chabahar port by the Central Asian nations are two of the main topics being discussed during the summit. At the meeting, the expectations of the participating nations are also covered.

The Chabahar port, located in southeast Iran, in the city of Chabahar —which means "four springs" in Persian—has a strategic location and has developed into a major commercial transit hub. An agreement to create the International Transport and Transit Corridor (Chabahar Agreement) was signed by India, Iran, and Afghanistan in May 2016. In collaboration with Iran, India is taking part in the construction of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Terminal in the Chabahar Port.

India has pledged a total of $150 million in credit and $85 million in grant money for the development of the Shahid Behesti Terminal. India has contributed six mobile harbour cranes (two with 140 tonnes and four with 100 tonnes capacity) and other equipment totaling $25 million as part of their commitment to the building of the SBT's infrastructure.

Image source: DNA