PM Narendra Modi, Iranian President Raisi Discuss Chabahar Port on Phone Ahead of BRICS Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke with Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and reiterated commitment to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. Modi and Raisi discussed matters of regional importance, including realizing the full potential of Chabahar Port as a connectivity hub.

Highlighting that India-Iran relationship is underpinned by close historic and civilizational connections, PM Modi drew attention to strong people-to-people contact between the countries.

Apart from this, cooperation at multilateral forums, including expansion of BRICS was also discussed. The two also talked about their upcoming meeting on the margins of the BRICS summit in South Africa.

The two leaders also discussed cooperation at multilateral forums, including expansion of BRICS, and looked forward to their meeting on the margins of the forthcoming BRICS summit in South Africa.

More than 40 nations including Iran, Argentina, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have expressed interest in joining BRICS bloc. BRICS summit has invited 69 global leaders to attend and in all likelihood both leaders can sit for bilateral talks on the sidelines of BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.

INDIA-IRAN TIES

India-Iran relations have faced challenges due to external geopolitical factors. The sanctions imposed on Iran by the international community have limited the extent of economic cooperation between the two nations. Additionally, India’s relations with the United States, a close ally, have sometimes strained its ties with Iran.

Despite these challenges, India and Iran have managed to maintain cordial relations. Both nations are aware of the immense potential for further cooperation and have consistently shown a willingness to overcome obstacles. The mutual respect and understanding that form the foundation of India-Iran relations are essential for promoting stability, peace and prosperity in the region.

THE TWO LEADERS MET LAST IN SEPTEMBER 2022

The two leaders had met in September on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand. They discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interests.

Iran has been a key country for India in the Gulf region, and the two sides have been jointly focusing on improving connectivity between South East Asia and Central Asia.