Afghanistan has sent four consignments to India through Chabahar: Govt

Afghanistan has sent four consignments to India through the Chabahar port in Iran since February this year, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question on whether the development and Indian operations at Chabahar port have been affected by US-Iran tensions, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the US has shown understanding of the importance of the Chabahar port operations for continued humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and to provide the war-torn country with economic alternatives.

Noting that Afghanistan has also started using the port facility, he said the country sent its first export consignment to India through Chabahar in February 2019.

Subsequently, Afghanistan has sent three more consignments to India through the port in June 2019, the minister said.

India is participating in the development of the first phase of Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with Iran, Muraleedharan said.

Indian company, India Ports Global Limited, has taken over port operations in December 2018 and has been successfully handling cargo since then, he said.

Responding to another question, Muraleedharan informed the House in a written reply that the total number of Indians on death row in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is 44, including five who have been convicted for drug-related offences.