Bypassing Pakistan, India initiates Afghanistan trade route via Iran

India’s first consignment containing wheat has been shipped to Afghanistan by sea through Iran's Chahbahar Port

India’s first ever consignment containing wheat was shipped on Sunday to Afghanistan by sea through Iran's Chahbahar Port, marking the inauguration of a trade route bypassing rival Pakistan.

Sent from the western seaport of Kandla, the shipment will be taken by trucks to Afghanistan from the Iranian port, Associated Press  reported.

The new trade route follows an air freight corridor introduced between India and Afghanistan in June last year to provide greater access for Afghan goods to the Indian market.

Iran, Afghanistan, India sign three-way transit accord

The development comes in the aftermath of United States’ new Afghanistan strategy unveiled in August. Announcing the new policy, President Donald Trump had asked India to do more to help Afghanistan's development.

Trade with Afghanistan through land route was not possible for India due to hostility in its ties with Pakistan.

Chabahar port will help India bypass Pakistan: Afghan president

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that the shipment marked the convergence among India, Afghanistan and Iran to spur an unhindered flow of commerce and trade throughout the region.

“I believe that this is the starting point of our journey to realize the full spectrum of connectivity from culture to commerce, from traditions to technology, from investments to Information Technology, from services to strategy and from people to politics,” she said.

Afghanistan seeks early completion of Chabahar port

India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a three-way transit accord worth $500 million to develop the Chabahar port  along with associated roads and rail lines last year, enabling India to tap into the Iranian and Afghan markets, and land-locked Afghanistan to get an alternative to ports in Pakistan.