Uzbekistan expands trade routes to India using Iranian port

Uzbekistan intends to use the port of Chabahar in southeastern Iran to organise trade with India, as reported by Caliber.Az, citing Uzbek media.

This decision was made at the first trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Iran and India, which took place on September 9 in Tehran.

The parties discussed expanding economic cooperation and strengthening transport connectivity between the countries. Particular attention was paid to the port of Chabahar, which is considered a strategic point for simplifying and accelerating cargo transportation between India, Iran and Uzbekistan. The use of the port will reduce the delivery time of goods and reduce transportation costs, as well as open up new opportunities for regional trade.

In addition to economic problems, the countries agreed to create a joint mechanism to combat terrorism and extremism. This step is aimed at strengthening security in the region and increasing the effectiveness of joint actions in preventing threats.

The meeting also discussed the prospects of the International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC), connecting India with Russia and other Eurasian countries.

The participants emphasised that the development of this corridor will become an alternative to traditional routes, will speed up transportation and make it more cost-effective.

The parties reaffirmed the importance of expediting the implementation of the decisions of the Chabahar Working Group, established in November 2024 in Mumbai, and agreed to intensify work on joint projects in the field of trade, logistics and security.

By Khagan Isayev