External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s two-day visit to Iran begins on Sunday as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two strategic partners. India’s relations with Iran are historical and New Delhi considers the West Asian country an important partner and a close neighbour.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankar will meet Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues. The MEA said political cooperation, connectivity initiatives and strong people-to-people ties will constitute important aspects of the agenda of the talks between Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian.
Red Sea Attacks
Jaishankar’s planned visit to Tehran comes in the wake of increasing concerns over Houthi militants targeting merchant vessels in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US and the UK have already launched air strikes targeting the Houthi positions in Yemen. India has been closely monitoring the unfolding situation in the Red Sea. The issue figured in a phone conversation between Jaishankar and US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Thursday.
Read More: US, Allies Conduct Airstrikes on Houthis in Yemen; Biden Says ‘Will Not Hesitate to Order Further Action’
During Thursday’s conversation, Blinken voiced concerns “shared” by India over “reckless Houthi attacks” in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. “The Secretary emphasised the Red Sea is a major commercial corridor that facilitates international trade and welcomed increased cooperation with India in defending freedom of navigation in the region,” the State Department said in a statement that stressed that the attacks threaten the free flow of commerce, endanger innocent mariners, and violate international law.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has already enhanced the deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations given the maritime environment in the critical sea lanes including the North and Central Arabian Sea. Following the airstrikes targeting the Houthi positions, US President Joe Biden said he will not hesitate to direct further measures.
Read More: Who Are the Houthis and Why Are They Targeting Ships Transiting Red Sea?
Chabahar port
Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian are also likely to deliberate on boosting regional connectivity through the Chabahar port. Located in Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran’s southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties. India has been pushing for the Chabahar port project to boost regional trade, especially for its connectivity to Afghanistan.
At a connectivity conference in Tashkent in 2021, Jaishankar projected the Chabahar port as a key regional transit hub, including to Afghanistan. The Chabahar port is also seen as a key hub for the INSTC project. The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Foreign Office Consultations
The last high-level meeting between the two sides took place when Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra visited Tehran in November to co-chair a meeting of India-Iran Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) along with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Ali Bagheri Kani.
During that visit, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relationship, including connectivity projects such as Chabahar port, political engagements, economic matters, people-to-people ties, and capacity-building initiatives. They also exchanged views on current regional and global issues, including developments in Afghanistan and Gaza. The Indian side appreciated Iran’s participation in the Voice of Global South Summits held last year.
(With agency inputs)
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