What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India ?
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Answer: C. Chabahar Port is in southeastern Iran on the Gulf of Oman. India is developing it so that goods can travel by sea to Iran and then by road and rail into Afghanistan and Central Asia. This route avoids Pakistan, which does not allow Indian goods to move overland to Afghanistan. So the importance is that India will not depend on Pakistan for this access.
Watch for: Watch for options about oil and gas; Chabahar's real point is a route around Pakistan.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because Chabahar faces Afghanistan and Central Asia, not Africa.
- B. Wrong because Iran is not an Arab country and the port's aim is connectivity, not ties with Arab oil states.
- D. Wrong because no Iraq-India gas pipeline through Pakistan is linked to Chabahar.
Source to check: Ministry of External Affairs, India-Iran bilateral brief and Chabahar trilateral agreement (2016); Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, India Ports Global Ltd page
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.