India has announced that it is seeking a way to regain a U.S. sanctions waiver in order to continue its operations at Iran’s Chabahar Port. The U.S. sanctions exemption for the project expired on 6 Sawr, corresponding to April 26.
The waiver had allowed India to participate in the development and operation of Chabahar Port without facing U.S. sanctions. Since the port is located in Iran, it is generally subject to Washington’s broad sanctions regime against Tehran.
The United States issued a special exemption for Chabahar Port in 2018. The decision was intended to support trade and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and provide the country with access to international waters. As a result, India was permitted to participate in port-related projects despite the sanctions imposed on Iran.
Kirti Vardhan Singh, an official from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, told members of parliament that Chabahar Port was developed with the aim of establishing a connectivity route between India and Afghanistan.
The exemption was extended several times in subsequent years; however, the U.S. administration revoked it in 2025 as part of its “maximum pressure” policy against Iran. Following the decision, India entered discussions with U.S. officials to preserve its activities at Chabahar Port and, at certain points, secured temporary and limited exemptions.
India has stated that it intends to use Chabahar Port to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction and economic development, as well as to expand its trade links with Central Asian countries. An Indian state-owned company has managed part of the port’s operations since 2018.
In May 2024, New Delhi signed an agreement with Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization under which it committed to investing $120 million in the Chabahar Port project. The Indian government says the entire amount has been paid, with the final installment transferred to Iran in August 2025.
Indian officials are now working to find a mechanism that would allow the country’s activities at Chabahar Port to continue without violating U.S. sanctions.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
