India talking to US for Iran port's sanctions waiver

New Delhi: India is engaged with both the United States and Iran to secure its interests in the strategically located Chabahar Port.

New Delhi is engaged with Washington to seek an extension of the sanctions waiver for the port that expires at the end of this month, said people in the know. Simultaneously, the government is talking to Tehran for an arrangement with a local entity to manage the port with a legal guarantee that this right would be transferred to India when the sanctions are lifted, in case the current waiver is not extended.

Talks are ongoing with both sides and the best possible solution that safeguards India's interests is being worked out, the people said.


On late Sunday night, the external affairs minister received a call from the Iranian foreign minister, and the two leaders reviewed the regional situation including navigation through the Hormuz Straits. India has the highest number of ships passing through the Strait since the war began in West Asia. India has also purchased energy from Iran after several years.

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India had secured a six-month sanctions waiver from the US for the Chabahar Port in October 2025.

The 'recent developments' have cast a shadow on the future of the Chabahar Port, a vital and strategic port for India, a parliamentary panel on external affairs said last month, and welcomed that the Centre "remains engaged" with all concerned parties to address the implications of these developments.

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ET reported in January that India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL), which has been managing the port since 2024 under a 10-year pact with Iran, could enter into an arrangement with a local entity to manage the Chabahar Port, with a guarantee that this right would be transferred to India when sanctions are lifted.