India starts operating its first overseas port

India is now operating its first overseas port. The government revealed yesterday it has finally taken over operations of part of Iran’s Chabahar port, a trilateral development many years in the pipeline, which also involves Afghanistan.

“The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar, in Iran during the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement meeting held there on December 24, 2018,” the shipping ministry said in a statement. The heads of the Indian, Iranian and Afghanistan delegations jointly inaugurated the office of the Indian SPV – India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) at Chabahar two weeks ago. Commercial operations began at IPGCFZ with the arrival of a Cyprus registered bulk carrier on December 30 carrying corn from Brazil. The port is aimed at providing alternative transport options for central Asian nations and plans call for a very large supersizing of the facility in the coming 10 years.

India is in negotiations with neighbours in Myanmar and Bangladesh about operating further overseas terminals.