India-Iran-Armenia launch trilateral to create corridor to Russia & Europe

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In a significant move, India, Iran, and Armenia have created a trilateral as senior officials of three countries met in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Thursday to boost International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) as well as another corridor that will connect Russia with Europe via Armenia.

The delegations were led by Mnatsakan Safaryan, the deputy foreign minister of Armenia, Seyed Rasoul Mousavi, the assistant of the foreign minister of Iran, and JP Singh, the joint secretary, MEA. ET reported in March that Armenia, whose ties with New Delhi is acquiring strategic dimension, has proposed the Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor via Iran parallel to INSTC to connect Indian traders with Russia and Europe.

During Thursday’s meeting, the three sides discussed economic projects and regional communication channels, outlined the prospects of deepening cultural and people-to-people contacts as well as trilateral cooperation in various fields, according to a readout from the Armenian foreign ministry. The three countries have decided to “continue consultations” in the format, the readout noted. The trilateral meeting discussed the INSTC.

India’s ties with Armenia have been on upswing with several ministerial visits from Armenia and India’s defence exports to Yerevan.

India and Iran have historic ties and there is special focus on INSTC and Chabahar Port. The Chabahar port in Iran has been key to connectivity between the two sides. India has provided equipment worth $25 million to aid in the development of the port, including six mobile harbour cranes. The port serves as a gateway for India to access Central Asia and Afghanistan. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is expected to travel to India in July to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as a full-fledged member of the grouping. Iran and Armenia, which share a border, have robust ties notwithstanding fact that Iran and Azerbaijan both have Shia majority. Last year, Iran opened a consulate in Armenia’s Kapan. Armenia serves as a transit route for Iran to access the Eurasian Economic Union.

The plan proposed by Armenia to India plans to connect Mumbai port with Bandar Abbas of Iran and then subsequently connect Armenia and onward to Europe or Russia via Georgia bypassing Azerbaijan that has lukewarm ties with New Delhi in backdrop of its ties with Turkey and Pakistan. Armenia has sought Indian investments for the corridor in the Armenian territory, sources in the Armenian government told ET.

Given the extensive experience of Indian companies in taking part in large-scale infrastructure projects abroad and India’s interest in launching the India-Europe transport corridor route via Iran and Georgia, Armenia plans to start negotiations with India to discuss the involvement of Indian funding and Indian companies into the project. (ET)