Chabahar Port And US Foreign Policy Towards South Asia – OpEd

US President Donald Trump signed an Executive Oder on February 6 that calls for the State Department to eliminate all sanctions exemptions benefiting Iran throughout the country including those involving Chabahar port. The future development of Chabahar port may suffer due to U.S. policy changes affecting its funding from India that aimed to establish a Pakistan-independent Afghanistan-Central Asia trade lane.

India saw Chabahar port as vital infrastructure to strengthen its regional power but also to decrease commercial dependence on Pakistan for trade through Afghanistan to ride across Central Asian countries. A key advantage of this Iranian port position allowed India to directly export goods through Afghan territory which then served Central Asian landlocked nations. 

The Indian government undertook Chabahar port development while executing its wider plan to dominate the entire region. Indian leaders made the political decision to bypass Pakistan to achieve dominant power status in Afghanistan while opposing China’s regional expansion. The Gwadar deep-water port operation serves as an opposing project to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by providing direct Arabian Sea access to China. Through Chabahar India used politics as a tool to reduce Pakistan’s regional power and reduce Pakistan’s essential position in Afghanistan.

The United States decision to end Chabahar port sanctions relief creates serious problems to India’s regional strategic designs due to Chabahar port’s diminished strategic significance following US policy changes on sanctions. The Indian investment in Chabahar faces jeopardy due to unpredictable geopolitical situations since permanent trading routes need dependable political arrangements. India needs to establish terms for its investment in Iran regarding US sanctions implementation since Washington is preparing financial limitations that may affect India.

India invested many billions to create Chabahar as a direct passage around Pakistan which extends service to Afghanistan. This project is now unavoidable for uncertainty to reach its peak. The United States disclosure demonstrates the poorly established basis behind India’s regional strategic targets in Chabahar port development. 

The Afghan government stands behind Chabahar port as Pakistan trade route substitute but exists in difficult positions. The insecure situation surrounding the port makes Afghanistan need to reassess its strategic alliances and view India as its key regional partner. The Afghan leaders now must reconsider their strategic priorities after America’s decision to end their exemption on the Port of Chabahar investment by India. The strategic plan of Chabahar participation by Afghanistan demonstrated hopeful prospects rather than establishing itself as a stable enduring commitment. The recent shifts in international relations eliminate India’s capability to evade political transformations by applying its Afghan-based economic and political power. The current regional development indicates Afghanistan will achieve its most optimal benefits by building stronger alliances with Pakistan because Pakistan provides Afghanistan’s sole dependable avenue for accessing worldwide markets.

The connectivity initiatives between India and Afghanistan remain uncertain while Pakistan holds its position firmly established. International sanctions have no impact on CPEC trade projects since Pakistan obtained alternate approvals to proceed with development via the initiative. The development of CPEC positions Pakistan as a strategic regional trading hub which allows Chinese merchant operations to pass through the Arabian Sea from Gwadar port.

Bangladesh feels secure about its CPEC investments through its reliable value-based methodology as the Chabahar port project from India relies heavily on geopolitical fluctuations. Global trade stability depends on Pakistan’s position because the nation exhibits reliable characteristics which make it the dominant power in regional trade development. The future development of economic opportunities in the area requires sustained connectivity projects from Pakistan because India faces barriers in its attempts to bypass Pakistan through the Chabahar route.

India will find it difficult to maintain regional dominance through its connectivity schemes. US refusal to grant an exemption to Chabahar makes India’s substantial project investment subject to dangerous conditions and unstable structures. The strategic weaknesses of India’s political approach become evident when political instability and changes in international relations appear. 

The global power dynamics show that permanent regional business expansion together with connectivity systems need constant strategic thinking rather than temporary political moods. India decided to invest in Chabahar but Pakistan maintained steady development of its infrastructure projects making it the best choice as the region’s primary trading platform. The obstacles encountered by Indian business end up creating an opportunity for Pakistan to establish a leading position as South Asia’s prime trade port.