India has signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar, which will help India enhance its logistical capabilities and expand its trade routes to Central Asia. The port, which is Iran's only ocean port, is strategically located about 170 km west of Pakistan's Gwadar Port and offers an alternative maritime route to the congested Strait of Hormuz. The port is an integral component of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200-km multi-modal transportation route connecting India with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe.
