I agree with the editorial, "Iran, open for business" (January 19), that India needs to speed up its delivery capacities to fulfil trade promises. India's credibility as a good trade partner will be established on the basis of efforts, not comforting assurances.
With Iran, India not only has great trading opportunities such as cheap oil, a big commodity market, a big oil refining market and a burgeoning industrial sector but also the chance to explore untapped markets of Central and Western Asia. Iran is the natural gateway to Asian countries such as Turkmenistan, Armenia and Afghanistan, which are important from the trade, strategic and security perspectives.
India already enjoys good cultural and historical connections with these countries; we need to build upon these for mutually beneficial propositions. But there are hurdles, too, in the form of stiff competition from the European Union, China and other counties. There are also some players that do not want good relations between Iran and India for their own strategic purposes.
India should strive for better diplomatic relations, ease of doing business and more cordial cultural links with Iran. India should also plan investments with Iran and deal with geopolitical pressures. That Iran is opening up for business following the lifting of international sanctions is an opportunity that India should grab at once.
Divyank Singh Bhopal
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