By COLONEL R. HARIHARAN | Ceylon Today | Op-ed | 8 December 2017
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani inaugurated phase one of the US $
1 billion southeastern extension of Chabahar port on the coast of Gulf of Oman
on November 3. The port is poised to become a key strategic transit route from
India to land-locked Afghanistan and Central Asia, by passing Pakistan. Already
India had despatched 15ooo tons of wheat to Afghanistan through this port. At
present, Pakistan does not allow transit of Indian goods to Afghanistan through
its territory. After Chabahar becomes fully functional we can expect greater
strategic convergence between India and Afghanistan, which have always enjoyed
close relationship.
The Chabahar port route is closer by 800 km to Afghanistan than
Karachi port, making it an attractive gateway for trading with not only
Afghanistan, but also with Central Asian countries. Chabahar port consists of two separate ports
– Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti. The present project is the southeastern
extension of Shahid Beheshti. India would have two berths for its exclusive use
on completion of the project.
Undoubtedly, it is an Indian alternative to China’s Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI) linking China and Europe through Central and South Asia.
However, Chabahar port project was conceptualised a decade and a half before
BRI was taken up. India and Iran agreed to jointly develop Chabahar port, when Iranian
President Mohammed Khatami visited New Delhi in January 2003. However, the
project went into a limbo when international sanctions were slapped on Iran. It
was taken up for construction when sanctions were lifted in 2013. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi signed the bilateral port development pact with Iran
when he visited Tehran in May last year.
India-Iran-Afghanistan Connectivity Agreement
On the occasion, the Indian PM also signed the India-Iran-Afghanistan
connectivity agreement. This tripartite agreement plans to commit at least $21
billion to Chabahar-Hajigak (in Afghanistan) corridor including $85 million for
port development by India. The $ 8 billion India-Iran MoU visualizes Indian
industrial investment in Chabahar special economic zone. The development of $11
billion Hajigak iron and steel mining project in Central Afghanistan has been
awarded seven Indian companies.
India has also made a commitment to Afghanistan for $2 billion to
develop support infrastructure for Chabahar-Hajigak railway under construction.
Overall, the completion of the project
is expected to boost two-way trade between India and Afghan and also provide
direct access to Central Asia to both the countries.
The Chabahar port will also connect India to the International
North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) link providing sea, rail and road access
between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia. This project came alive after the lifting of
sanctions on Iran. According a report in
Economic Times, the INSTC corridor is set to be operationalized from the
middle of next month with a first consignment from India to Russia. The
corridor is expected to function fully a few months thereafter in mid-January
2018. As India and Russia enjoy close
strategic security relations, its significance needs no emphasis.
Pakistan had always been concerned at India’s close strategic
links with Afghanistan, considered as part of Pakistan’s strategic domain. So India gaining better and direct connectivity
to Afghanistan would be a matter of serious concern to Pakistan army. Considering
this, Iran has tried to play down the strategic significance of the corridor,
emphasizing its economic and development benefits to Central and South Asia.
In this context, it is interesting to note that Iran’s ambassador
to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost’s entire article on the inauguration of Chabahar
port, published in Pakistan’s Express Tribune on December 6, does not
refer to India’s role in the project, lest it irritates Pakistan’s acerbic
views on India. The article pointed out the presence of Pakistan’s minister for
ports and maritime affairs Mir Hasal Bizanjo and the chairman of the Gwadar
Port at the Chabahar inaugural ceremony, and said the development of Chabahar Port was taking place
simultaneously with that of the Gwadar Port under CPEC in Pakistan. Two ports were
complementary to each other and every other perspective was “completely wrong
and will be considered in line with the objectives of the enemies” of Iran and
Pakistan.
China which is investing over $50 billion to build infrastructure
connectivity between Gwadar port and Kashgar in Xinjiang province under the China
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, will be keenly watching the progress
of the Chabahar project located 80 kms from Gwadar on the Makran coast. China
had repeatedly been trying to persuade India to join the BRI, even suggesting
some cosmetic changes in the name of CPEC after India refused to participate in
the BRI as it passes through Indian territory occupied by Pakistan. Chances of
Indian participation in the BRI have turned bleak as Chabahar project will be
providing an alternate route for India to the regions serviced by the BRI.
However, India and China have shown maturity in handling their
mutual relations notwithstanding occasional confrontations along the disputed
borders. They have focused on positive developmental relations, while trying to
peacefully resolve potential confrontations between them. This was evident when
India Ports Global, which is developing the Chabahar facility, awarded contract
worth Rs 380o million for supply of cranes to a Chinese company ZPMC, even as
Indian and Chinese soldiers were locked in a standoff in India-Bhutan-China
tri-junction.
So the Chinese reaction was not surprising to the inauguration of
the Chabahar port. Answering a question on China’s views on the launch of the Chabahar
project, as China was investing heavily in Gwadar port as part of the prestigious CPEC project, the foreign
ministry spokesman Geng Shuang declined to comment directly. He said, "As for the
(Chabahar) port, I want to give you a principled answer. We welcome the
development of friendly relations between the regional countries and conduct
mutually beneficial cooperation. We hope the relevant cooperation can be
conducive to maintaining regional peace and promoting regional stability and
prosperity."
Does the Chabahar port project and India’s improved strategic
reach and connectivity to Central Asia have any significance to Sri Lanka?
Of course, strategically India would increase its influence and
strengthen its linkages with Russia and Afghanistan. The project will also have
its own impact on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route of China in
which Sri Lanka has a pivotal role in the Indian Ocean. As a country which
enjoys very close, multifaceted relations with both India and China, Sri Lanka
will be watching the developments closely. According to the UN COMTRAD data Sri Lanka
exports to Iran in 2016 was $173.46 million, with tea, coffee and spice forming
89 percent of the exports. With improved connectivity to Central Asia through
Chabahar port probably there is scope to explore and open up new markets for
exports and tourism in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Col R Hariharan, a retired MI specialist on South Asia, served as
the head of Intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka from
1987 to 90. He is associated with the Chennai Centre for China Studies and the
International Law and Strategic Analysis Institute, Chennai. E-mail: haridirect@gmail.com
Blog:http://col.hariharan.info
Courtesy:
Ceylon Today, Colombo, 8 December 2017
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