India and Iran have agreed to expand connectivity beyond Chabahar Port, not only to link it with a Railway line to Zahidan, but to connect it with the 7,200-km-long International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) — a multi-mode network for moving freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
In a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, it was noted that Iran will hold an early meeting of the INSTC Coordination Meeting in Tehran. In a joint statement issued by the two countries here at the end of deliberations, both sides while recognising the challenges of terrorism, also expressed the need to identify and address conditions conducive to terrorism as well as extremist ideologies.
Both countries also agreed to intensify and diversify the existing high-level engagement and decided to convene within this year the meeting of the India-Iran Joint Commission and all its working groups, Foreign Office Consultations as well as a dialogue between institutions on defence and national security of the two countries. President Rouhani also acknowledged the aspiration of India to play a greater role in international fora.
On the topic of Afghanistan, both sides stressed the significance of strengthening India-Iran-Afghanistan trilateral consultations and coordination, including suitably supplementing their cooperation on Chabahar. They also called upon the countries in the region to come forward for enhancing regional connectivity and take steps to do away with the obstacles on land transit.
Recognising the challenges of terrorism and ideologies of violent extremism, the two leaders reiterated their strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism.
For better cultural exchange, both sides agreed to grant e-visa facility to travellers. They also agreed to hold a Festival of India in Iran and establish a Chair of Indian Studies in the Tehran University. As part of this effort, Indology courses will be made available for Iranian diplomats by the Foreign Service Institute of India while support will be provided for Persian language courses in India.
Trade MoUs
- Trade bodies that signed MoUs are:
- EEPC India and Trade Promotion Organization of Iran
- FICCI and Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA)
- ASSOCHAM and ICCIMA
- PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ICCIMA
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Narendra Modi, Hassan Rouhani with Sushma Swaraj and Mohd Javad Zarif-PTI")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}