India exempted from US sanctions for six months for Chabahar Port in Iran
The Ministry of External Affairs said that the waiver has been issued and it would revoke the sanctions granted for operations at the strategic Chabahar Port.
PTC News Desk: India on Thursday confirmed that it has been granted a six-month exemption from US sanctions on operations at the Chabahar Port project in Iran, that came into effect on September 29.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that the waiver has been issued and it would revoke the sanctions granted for operations at the strategic Chabahar Port.
"India has been granted a waiver for Chabahar port in Iran from US sanctions for the next six months," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a media interaction in New Delhi on Thursday, apart from briefing on other issues of global implications.
On September 16, the Trump administration announced that it would revoke the sanctions waiver granted in 2018 for operations at the strategic Chabahar Port in Central Asia—a decision likely to affect India’s involvement in developing the key terminal. The move was part of Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran.
The waiver, issued under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA), had allowed India and several other nations to continue port-related activities without facing US sanctions. Chabahar holds major strategic value for India, serving as a vital trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia that bypasses Pakistan.
In a mid-September statement, the US State Department said the waiver’s revocation was “in line with President Trump’s maximum pressure policy to isolate the Iranian regime.” It further cautioned that “once the revocation takes effect, individuals operating the Chabahar Port or engaging in activities covered under IFCA could be subject to sanctions.”
The Changing Role of Chabahar
Back in 2018, Chabahar was viewed as a key corridor for India to access Afghanistan while avoiding Pakistani territory, strengthening New Delhi’s regional influence and countering China’s expansion through the Gwadar Port in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
However, the geopolitical landscape has shifted significantly. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 reduced Chabahar’s importance as a crucial link to Kabul.