Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has on Sunday officially flagged off the very-first Afghanistan cargo from its western Nimroz province which will be exported to India through the Chabahar Port constructed in Iran, which was inaugurated in 2017.
According to ANI news reports, the Afghan cargo, which is consisting of 23 trucks, is carrying about 570 tonnes of goods.
While addressing an event, the Afghan president said the opening of Chabahar route will help in increasing Afghan’s export to the US $2 billion from the US $1 billion in the next fiscal year.
Indian envoy to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar has also marked his presence during the event. The ambassador said that Afghan’s import to India has been increased by 40 per cent after the inauguration of the air corridor, Chabahar port, between New Delhi and Kabul.
Iran and India have inked an agreement in 2018 worth US $85 million in order to develop CHabahar port in south-eastern Iran. The agreement was signed during the presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian president Hassan Rouhani.
The port which provides an alternative route for transportation of goods, trade, between Afghanistan and India is located in Southeastern Iran on the Gulf of Oman.
Iran and India also jointly constructed a 900-km Chabahar-Zahedan-Hajigak railway line which will connect the port to the mineral-rich Hajigak region of the war-torn Afghan country.