On January 14-15, 2024, Union Minister Subrahmanyam (S.) Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was on an official visit to Iran to hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues with Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Foreign Minister of Iran in Tehran.
- This visit was part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between India and Iran.
- The important aspect of the meeting was Political cooperation, connectivity initiatives and strong people-to-people ties.
Highlights:
i.This was Union Minister S. Jaishankar’s first visit to Iran after the its membership of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) was approved.
- It should be noted that Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudia Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) joined BRICS in September 2023 at the 15th BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Read Five New Countries Join BRICS in 2024
ii.This is also the first Minister-level visit to Iran from India since the beginning of the Gaza crisis (Israel and Palestine War) on October 7, 2023.
iii.Notably, Iran recently included India in the list of countries whose citizens will not require a visa to travel to Iran.
What this visit showcases?
i.This showcases India’s address to regional security concerns amid the ongoing Hamas–Israel conflict; ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), a terrorist Organization, claimed terrorist attacks in Iran; and Houthi maritime threats on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea.
ii.It also highlighted India’s strategic partnership with Iran, focusing on the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
India and Iran signs agreement on development of Chabahar Port
The Union Minister Jaishankar met Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, Mehrdad Bazrpash and held a detailed and productive discussion on establishing a long-term cooperation framework on the strategically vital Chabahar Port. There both nations have reached a final agreement on India’s first foreign port project, Chabahar Port.
- This agreement will replace the original contract, which only covers India’s operations at the Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar and is renewed every year.
- It will valid for 10 years and will be automatically extended.
Note:
The Chabahar Port located in South Eastern Iran consist of two separate ports viz. Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti.
Key Points:
i.They also exchanged views on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
- It aims to cut carriage costs by about 30% and transit time from 40 days to about 20 days.
- The Chabahar Port plays a significant role in the INSTC project
ii.The Iran side proposed the formation of a joint transportation committee to expand cooperation between the two countries.
Background:
The bilateral contract between the Iran and India was signed in 2016 with a total value of USD 85 million for Equipping, Mechanizing and starting Operations at Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar development Phase- I. Read Chabahar Port Deal between India and Iran. In this regard, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) Mumbai, Maharshtra was incorporated under the ambit of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
India to Include Persian (Farsi) in NEP; Become one of the nine Classical Language of India
India also announced its decision to include Persian (Farsi) under the New Education Policy (NEP), 2020 of India. With this, it will become one of the nine classical language of India.
- This decision highlights cultural, literary, and linguistic connections between Iran and India, and will deepen cultural ties.
- This announcement was made during the joint press conference of India’s MEA Minister with his Iranian counterpart, Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Key Points:
i.Tamil was the first language in India accorded with classical language status in 2004.
ii.After Tamil, Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014) have also been declared as classical languages in India.
iii.According to the NEP 2020, Pali, Prakrit, and Farsi (Persian) should be preserved.
iv.As per the Ministry of Culture, language must have a recorded history spanning 1500-2000 years, and must be unique and not borrowed from another linguistic community, among others, to have a status of Classical Language of India.
v.The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution outlines the official languages of India. It is governed by Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Constitution.
MEA Minister S.Jaishankar met President Ebrahim Raisi
The Union Minister S Jaishankar also had a meeting with Iran President Ebrahim Raisi discussions were held on the following areas:
- Speeding up the implementation of Iran-India agreements, including the Chabahar Port Development Plans
- Cooperation to establish stability and security in Afghanistan
- Strengthening international trade, especially through national currencies
- Maintaining the security of shipping in international waters.
Recent Related News:
i.Narges Mohammadi, Iranian women’s rights campaigner and the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, will be conferred with the Harmony Foundation’s Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice 2023.
ii.Roberta Metsola, President of European Parliament named Jina Mahsa Amini and Iranian women protest movement as the winners of Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2023 (Sakharov Prize), the European Union’s (EU) top human rights prize.
About Iran:
President– Ebrahim Raisi
Capital– Tehran
Currency– Iranian Rial
