- Afghan Traders Use Chabahar Port of Iran for exporting goods to China
- Amid political tensions and trade restrictions with Pakistan, Afghan traders have utilized Chabahar port of Iran to transport 12 trucks of Afghan mineral stones to China
- As a maritime trade Silk Road, Chabahar port provides transit connectivity to the landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia.
- India, Iran, and Afghanistan have signed a trilateral agreement to give New Delhi access to Kabul and Central Asia in May 2016.
By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia
Tehran: Amid political tensions and trade restrictions with Pakistan, Afghan traders utilize Chabahar port of Iran to transfer around 12 trucks, carrying Afghan minerals and stones to China, a strategic trading partner of Afghanistan.
The consignment includes 12 trucks of Afghan mineral stones said Hossein Shahdadi, the deputy of port and economic affairs of the Ports and Maritime Authority of Sistan and Baluchistan province of Iran while confirming the entry and transfer of Afghan goods consignment at Chabahar port.
The consignment entered Chabahar port from Nimroz province and was sent directly to China, added Shahdadi according to local news reports.
He pointed out that the advantage of Chabahar port is reduced time and cost of transportation.
Afghan trades are choosing Chabahar Port as a suitable alternative for trade and export of Afghan goods to European countries and India.
“Twelve trucks of minerals that departed from Nimroz moved towards Chabahar and were loaded onto a ship today, heading for China. This is a fortunate development, and we should continue using this route. The technical issues present in Chabahar, including transportation, security, technicalities, and shipping, as well as money transfer challenges, must be resolved”, said Khan Jan Alokozay, a member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment.
Commenting over the opening of new trade route, some Afghan traders mentioned that sea freight costs are lower, and necessary facilities should be provided at Chabahar Port of Iran to expedite the export of goods to regional and global markets.
Omid Haidari, a trader, said, “We use Bandar Abbas for exporting our goods, which is time-consuming and requires over a month. However, Chabahar Port could reduce costs and time.”
In his remark, Khwaja Dawood Siddiqi said, “They should establish a route through Chabahar for us to start exports to India, China, and Turkey. For nearly three years, whenever the harvest season begins in our country, Pakistan closes its ports under various pretexts, causing the fresh fruits and vegetables of Afghanistan to spoil.”
Chabahar Port is located in Iran’s Sistan-Balouchestan Province and is about 120 kilometers Southwest of Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, where the China-funded Gwadar port is situated.
Recently, Chabahar Port has become a significant maritime ports for trade, and trades from Afghanistan are utilizing it to export their minerals, stones, fruits and other products to countries such as China, India, Bangladesh, Turkey, and through Turkey to European countries.
Amid border tensions and trade restrictions with Pakistan, Afghan freight trucks have increased Afghan traders’ dependence on Chabahar Port for exporting goods to regional markets.
Located in the south of Iran and the northern part of the Oman Sea, Chabahar port provides strategic access to international open waters, opening trade exchanges of Iran with other regional countries.
As a maritime trade route, Chabahar provides the landlocked Afghanistan a unique opportunity for the use of its businessmen, traders and investors to transport all kinds of commodities like edible oil, foodstuffs, and industrial goods.
Due to strategic location of Chabahar port, India, Iran, and Afghanistan have signed a trilateral cooperation agreement to give New Delhi access to Kabul and Central Asia.
In April 2021, Beijing and Tehran signed a twenty-five-year $400 billion strategic and economic partnership under Belt and Road Initiative, a flagship connectivity project of China.
To counter to counter China and BRI, Indian signed a 10-year contract with Iran.
The agreement was signed between Indian Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran (PNO), India planned invest a total of $370 million (€341.7 million) in development and financing of the to extend the development and operation of the Chabahar port, leading India to secure a transit route for Indian goods to markets in Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond.
As a vital maritime trade route, both the Gwadar of Pakistan and Chabahar port of Iran have tremendous potential for transit and connectivity between Central Asia and South Asia. Instead of rivalry, standoffs and geo-political competition, both Iran and Pakistan should utilize these ports for unlocking fresh avenues of trade and commerce expansion under the Silk Road Spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit.
Port authorities of Iran and Pakistan should utilize Gwadar and Chabahar ports as Maritime Silk Road connectivity hub to bridge Afghanistan, Central Asia, Russia and eventually Europe.
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