Amid US pressure on Iran, New Delhi eyeing options to retain Chabahar Port access: Report

India is exploring multiple options to retain its presence at the strategic Chabahar Port amid rising US pressure on Tehran. The Chabahar Port is central to New Delhi's connectivity ambitions.

A six-month exemption from US sanctions on the strategic facility is valid till April 26 this year. The government has taken several steps to reduce the exposure of state-run entities and officials to the US sanctions on the Chabahar Port, Hindustan Times reported. 

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a weekly media briefing on Friday that India is in touch with the US on the sanctions waiver. 

"As you are aware, on Oct 28, 2025, the US department of treasury had issued a letter outlining the guidance on the conditional sanctions waiver valid till 26 April 2026. We remain engaged with the US side in working out this arrangement," Jaiswal said. 

He added, "We remain engaged with the US side in working out this arrangement." 

Can Shahid Beheshti terminal help India retain Chabahar Port access?

Sources told the publication that the Indian side delivered on its commitment to provide $120 million to develop the port under a 10-year agreement signed with Iran in May 2024 for long-term operations at Shahid Beheshti terminal.

This amount was to be used for equipping the terminal with mobile harbour cranes, rail-mounted quay cranes, forklifts, and pneumatic unloaders. 

They added that among the options on the table is the creation of an entity to run operations at the Shahid Beheshti terminal that would not be exposed to sanctions or would be able to withstand them.

Why is Chabahar Port important for India?

Strategically located at Chabahar—meaning “four springs”—the port lies about 550 nautical miles from Gujarat’s Kandla port, giving India direct access to Afghanistan, Central Asia and Europe. Positioned beyond the Strait of Hormuz, a key Indian Ocean choke point, it remains insulated from West Asian conflicts. 

Chabahar is part of the 7,200-km International North-South Transport Corridor, linking the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea and northern Europe, cutting transit time by 15 days versus the Suez Canal. In 2024, India signed a 10-year deal with Iran, committing $370 million, underscoring Chabahar’s central role in India’s trade, connectivity, and humanitarian strategy—particularly as it bypasses Pakistan and supports India’s long-term economic ambitions.