TABNAK: Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber in a message congratulated Indian President Narendra Modi over his victory in the parliamentary elections.
Mokhber in a message on Friday, described India as Iran's main partner during Modi's term in office.
The Iranian interim president expressed hope that the Tehran and New Delhi will further widen bilateral ties given both sides' will.
Modi, for his part, welcomed the Iranian top official’s congratulatory message, saying the two countries will keep bilateral efforts to expand mutual relations and boost regional peace, security and prosperity.
The Indian prime minister on Tuesday declared victory in parliamentary elections; however.
India is a crucial trade partner for Iran. Iran exported $2.217 billion worth of goods to India during the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19), according to an official with Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO).
Petroleum products were the top goods imported by India from Iran in 2023. Rice was the top export product of India to Iran in the same year. The two countries are planning to triple their trade over the next five years.
Last November, Iran and India expressed their firm determination to improve relations in various fields.
In a meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Shri Vinay Kwatra in Tehran, late Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the two countries' senior officials are determined to enhance ties.
Kwatra, for his part, said the Indian government was firmly determined to expand relations with Iran and hoped that the two countries' joint efforts would increase the volume of economic relations in various sectors, including agriculture, fishery, and traditional medicine.
In a phone conversation in August, late Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi discussed the ways to enhance bilateral relations, mutual cooperation and the realization of the full potential of Chabahar Port.
Despite the sanctions, the two countries have vowed to improve trade relations, especially in transport, IT, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, culture, education and tourism. The two nations are now looking for options to boost joint manufacturing across industries.
Experts say the Iranian Port of Chabahar could be a focal point for investments and will help boost trade with India, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe. India is among Iran’s top five trade partners.
On May 14, Iran and India signed a 10-year contract for operation and equipment of Chabahar Port.
The two sides agreed on the partnership of the India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) in equipping and operation of the freight and container terminals of Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar.
In 2016, India agreed to finance the development of the Iranian port but the process was stalled two years later due to the US sanctions on Tehran and US unilateral withdrawal from 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
India’s participation in development of Chabahar is part of its policy to use Iranian transportation networks to ease its trade access to Afghanistan and landlocked countries in the Central Asia region.
