Chabahar Port plays a central role as India ships 5,022 MT wheat to Afghanistan as COVID-19 aid

Chabahar port is the connecting link that has helped India send its humanitarian aid of 5,022 MT of the wheat consignment to help Afghanistan deal with the fall out of the COVID-19 crisis. The vessel that set sail from the Kandla port in Gujarat reached the Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar on 15th April 2020.
Dr. Behruz Aghaei, Chabhar Port General Director on the arrival of Indian aid said, "One of the unique advantages of Chabahar is its transit capabilities. Today, Chabahar is one of the most flourishing southern ports of Iran on the transit domain, which can play a vital role in regional trade connectivity."
The 5,022 MT is the first consignment of 75,000 MT of wheat India is sending to Afghanistan as a gift. The shipment will be cleared and transited through the Milak border to Afghanistan next week.
Afghan Ambassador to Iran Abdol Ghafoor Liwal while expressing his "special thanks to both India and Iran as our friend and neighbouring country for helping transit of shipment" said, "the port of Chabahar has very good potential and proper facilities to send Afghanistan cargoes to different destinations in the world"
It must be kept in mind that in the past when India was keen to send aid to Afghanistan via land, Pakistan used to block it. This changed in 2017 when New Delhi first sent wheat aid via Chabahar to Afghanistan, which now has become a norm.
Located in southeastern Iran on the Gulf of Oman, Chabahar is the home for Iran's only oceanic port. The operation of the Shaheed Beheshti Port at Chabahar was taken over by India Ports Global Co. in December 2018.
Meanwhile, Friday also saw India sending 100,000 paracetamol and 500,000 hydroxychloroquine tablets to Afghanistan via Ariana Airlines.