The Chabahar port in Iran that allows India to bypass Pakistan and reach land-locked Afghanistan and Central Asian countries was inaugurated on Sunday. It is of significant strategic and economic importance for India and is a strategic response to China’s development of the Gwadar port in Pakistan.

The Shahid Beheshti Port’s first phase was inaugurated by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in a ceremony that was attended by ministers, envoys and officials from 17 countries. President Rouhani stated that the inauguration marked a “historic” day for Iran, particularly for the people of Chabahar. The port connects the trade corridors that pass through Iran to the sea route.

India is a partner in the development of the Shahid Beheshti Port for which an investment amounting to $1 billion was made. The port can accommodate 100,000-tonne ships, which India feels has strategic and economic potential as a rival to the Gwadar port.

With the Chabahar port becoming operational, India got access to the easier land-sea route to Afghanistan. Earlier, the Indian government has committed $500 million to Chabahar, with the intention of joining the increasingly important transport corridor to resource-rich regional countries. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said the port would reinforce mutual and regional cooperation between Iran and India.