The session was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the Indian side, and Deputy FM for Asia and Oceania Affairs, Ebrahim Rahimpour on the Iranian side. Representatives from ministries of energy and natural resources, economy, industries, commerce and ports organization were present at the meeting, where the sides voiced firm resolve to double efforts for increasing trade transactions and implementing the Chabahar trilateral agreement that was signed with the Afghan side in Tehran last May.
The deal aims at developing infrastructures of Chabahar port city in far south east of the country in Makran coasts. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hailed the agreement as a transformative element in the region in terms of economy and trade routes, setting new trends and eliminating huge barriers to regional trade.
During the Tuesday session, the Iranian side called on the Indian delegation to make serious efforts for development of Chabahar port, Chabahar-Zahedan railway, as well as facilitation of banking ties.
Iran also stressed the need for closer cooperation in tourism, consular affairs, and removing obstacles for the Iranian students in India.
The Indian side, for their part, expressed hope that these issues would be addressed and resolved in the next session between the consular directors of the two countries’ foreign ministries.
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