international relations [India–Iran relations ]

Where we indian can go without visa?

We Indians can go to Nepal and Buthan without a visa.  

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Oil and gas :

Iran is the second largest supplier of crude oil to India, supplying more than 425,000 barrels of oil per day, and consequently India is one of the largest foreign investors in Iran's oil and gas industry.

[ [

Crude oil is sold between countries in quantities called barrels. (The same measurement is used to sell whisky.)
One barrel of oil is the same as:

• 159 litres (about 80 large fizzy drink bottle)
• 35 gallons (enough to fit in the petrol tanks of about 4 cars)
• 280 pints (a lot of bottles of milk)

The weight of a barrel depends on where the oil comes from. However, there are about 8 barrels in a tonne. ]]

Trade Relation:

Delaram Zaranj Highway, Chabahar Port: India-Iran-Afghanistan trade relations 

• Afghanistan is a land-locked country. Most of its international trade is done through Pakistani sea-ports.
• Therefore, India wished to connect to Afghanistan via an alternative route (through Iran).
• So, In 2003 a trilateral agreement was signed among India, Iran and Afghanistan.
• Under this agreement
  • Iran was to build a highway from Chabahar (a Port City of Iran) upto Afghanistan border.
  • India was to build a road connecting Delaram (border city of Afghanistan) to Zaranj (Capital of Nimruz province of Afghanistan)
  
  
  • 

 

Delaram-Zaranj Highway

• Delaram–Zaranj Highway, also known as Route 606.
• Length about 200km
• It connects Delaram (border city of Afghanistan) to Zaranj (Capital of Nimruz province of Afghanistan).
• India totally financed this project. (about 600 crore rupees).
• Border Roads Organization (BRO) of India, has constructed this highway.
• Construction started in 2005, and in 2009 the road was opened for public use.
• During the construction of this highway,Taliban killed about 130 workers, including 4 Indians from BRO.

So far, all the roadway construction is finished.
India wished to access both Afghanistan and other central Asian nations (like Turkmenistan), through this Chabahar port, But the Chabahar port is not yet fully developed to handle the huge cargo to and from India.
All these years, India was requesting Iran to allow them to do some port Development on this port.

Why Iran allowed Indian Investment?

Port city of Chabahar (Iran)

In the early 2012, US put sanction against Iran Oil export, i.e. if any country imports crude oil from Iran, then that country’s bank (through which payments are made to Iran) will not be allowed to do transections in USA. (sanctions against iran )  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctions_against_Iran Because of this sanction, most of the nations stopped importing oil from Iran, except some big ones like India and China, but India too felt the heat of US diplomatic pressure and agreed to cut down oil imports from Iran.

Majority of Iran’s nation income comes from Oil export, so, they’re also feeling the heat. They want money, so, Iranian Government has now allowed India do invest upto $100 million in the Chabahar Port Development project.

What’s India’s Problem?

Well, now Indian Government fears that doing any investment in Iran= USA will be annoyed.
So, India wants two things

1. Afghanistan must make a commitment that it will do trading through this Iranian port. (otherwise the whole project will be economically unviable). Because there is a good chance, Afghanistan may not do any trading at all, with pressure from US and Pakistan.
2. Afghanistan should sign a triparitate MoU with Iran and India, make it look like Afghanistan badly wants this project for the Development of its own economy and we (Indians) are just helping in rebuilding the Afghanistan.

But Afghanistan has changed the tone now, they’re not saying anything about the project (may be under secret US pressure.) They’re not keen on signing any such agreement or MoU or statement.
In short, India’s problem is how to calibrate the political signal it sends out at a time when the West is focused on making economic sanctions work effectively against Iran, especially when Afghanistan too has been reluctant given the issues involved.

India's nuclear vote with Iran

India, despite close relations and convergence of interests with Iran, voted against Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, which took Iran by surprise.  

{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India%E2%80%93Iran_relations#World.27s_largest_Zoroastrian_population }

Reference ":  http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/