India and Iran Negotiate Chabahar Port Management Amid US Sanctions Talks

India and Iran are in negotiations for the management of Chabahar Port, even as the US is seeking a fresh round of peace talks with Tehran, said people familiar with the matter.

While India awaits lifting of US sanctions from Iran following a deal, it has been engaged with Iran to fast-track the conclusion of an arrangement for securing its interests in Chabahar Port. India had secured a six-month sanctions waiver in October 2025 from the US for the port which expired on April 25 this year.

The government has been in talks with Iran to enter into an arrangement with a local ports authority to manage Chabahar Port with a guarantee that this right will be transferred back to India when the United States sanctions are lifted, said the people cited earlier. India has been seeking a legal guarantee from the Iranian government so that the arrangements between the two port authorities are honoured.

Experts said that Chabahar Port is critical for India's strategic outreach in the extended neighbourhood and that China may stake claim on the port if India does not retain its role in the port in some form. Despite mounting challenges over the years, India has not given up on its interests in the port.

Chabahar Port is the gateway not only for Afghanistan but also Central Asian states as their viable access to the Indian Ocean Region for the Indian and Gulf markets.