UPSC PERSPECTIVE

Mains Paper 2:International relations - Agreements

involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
_________________________________
 UPSC PRELIMS 2017
What is the importance of developing Chabahar port by
India?

1. India’s trade with African countries will enormously

increase.
2. India’s relations with oil-producing Arab countries will
be strengthened.
3. India will not depend on Pakistan for Access to
Afghanistan and Central Asia.
4. Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a
gas pipeline between Iraq and India.
INTERESTING THINGS HAPPENING IN THE
REGION
 WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

Afghanistan began exports to India through the

Chabahar as the landlocked, war-torn nation turns
to overseas markets to improve its economy.

Officially export from Afghanistan to India has

started
 FIRST AFGHAN EXPORTS TO INDIA
23 trucks carrying 57 tonnes of dried fruits, textiles, carpets and
mineral products were dispatched from western Afghan city of
Zaranj to Iran’s Chabahar port.

The consignment will be shipped to the Indian city of Mumbai.

The Iranian port provides easy access to the sea to Afghanistan

and India has helped developed this route to allow both
countries to engage in trade bypassing Pakistan.
IMPORTANT LOCATIONS
 ZARANJ

City in southwestern Afghanistan, near the

border with Iran

Zaranj is a Trading and Transit Hub in western

Afghanistan, on the border with Iran.
 ROUTE 606: DELARAM-ZARANJ HIGHWAY

The Delaram–Zaranj Highway, also known as Route

606, is a 217-km or 135-mile-long two-lane road
built by India in Afghanistan, connecting Delaram in
Farah Province with Zaranj in neighbouring Nimruz
Province near the Iranian border.
 INDIAN GOVERNMENT'S HAJIGAK MINING
PLAN
Chabahar-Zaranj-Delaram-Hajigak railway: 900
km long Indian-Iranian project, would link
future US$10 billion Indian iron-ore mining
operations at Hajigak, in Afghanistan to
Chabahar, Iran.
 THE MAJOR PLAN
India has also agreed to build a 500-km railroad from Chabahar
to Zahedan, close to the Afghan border. India’s state-owned
IRCON has agreed to build a rail route at a cost of $1.6 billion
as part of the transit corridor to Afghanistan.

After connecting Chabahar to Zahedan, the railroad will be

linked to Zaranj in Afghanistan. Hence, when the Afghan cargo
arrives in Zahedan, it can be transported by a 1,380-km railroad
to Chabahar and then shipped to India.
 WHAT ABOUT U.S SANCTIONS?
India bypassed US sanctions on Iran

US government has granted India a waiver from

sanctions on Iran with regard to its operations at
Chabahar, the waiver does not extend to
commercial entities such as JNPT or DPT,
which run the risk of being blacklisted by
Washington if they operate in that country.
 TACTICS
According to the terms of the waiver, India can run
the two terminals at Chabahar port that Iran has
leased out to it as long as New Delhi uses the
services of a departmental arm.

Hence, the shareholding pattern of India Ports

Global is being changed from a private sector
company to a government-run entity.
India Ports Global Private Limited is a private
registered company and classified as Union
Government Company.

It is involved in Sea and coastal water

transport.
 AFGHAN EXPORTS TO INDIA

Afghan exports to India stood at $740 million in

2018, making it the largest export destination
 INDIA AFGHANISTAN WALKING TOGETHER
India successfully shipped 1.1 million tons of wheat to Afghanistan
through Chabahar Port in 2017. That year, New Delhi also
launched an air corridor with Kabul for bilateral trade.

India-Afghanistan trade likely to reach $2 bn by 2020: Afghan

Ambassador

China also opened an air corridor with Afghanistan in November

and has since imported thousands of tons of Afghan pine nuts,
bringing much-need foreign exchange to Kabul.
 PAKISTAN AFGHANISTAN TIES WORSEN

Afghanistan has written to the United Nations Security

Council (UNSC) complaining to the multilateral body
about Pakistan’s “interference”, including belligerent
moves of its army, in the country’s internal affairs.

According to the letter, Pakistan fired 28,849 artillery

shells into Afghanistan between 2012 and 2017,
resulting in deaths of at least 82 people and injuring 187
others.
PAKISTAN DAMAGE CONTROL MODE