Iran Reaffirms Civilisational Ties With India Ahead of BRICS — SkimNews
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- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran shares a "long-standing, historic and civilisational relationship" with India and highly values the partnership, in a statement released by the Iranian Embassy in India on Tuesday.
- PM Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on August 31 — the first top-level meeting between the two since the war on Iran began in February — and urged peace in West Asia and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Chabahar Port was flagged by Baghaei as one of the key bilateral issues, with both countries jointly developing the facility and pitching to integrate it into the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
- Chabahar gives India direct access to Afghanistan while bypassing Pakistan, which denies India land transit routes, reducing dependence on traditional maritime chokepoints.
- Iran will use the 18th BRICS Summit — hosted by India on September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi — to continue consultations with India on areas of mutual interest, according to Baghaei.
Why it matters: Modi used a warm diplomatic framing to deliver a concrete strategic ask: freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz — a corridor directly affected by the ongoing conflict. Chabahar's role as a Pakistan-bypassing trade route to Afghanistan gives India leverage, and hosting BRICS on September 12-13 gives New Delhi a platform to deepen that partnership on its own terms.
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