BY KAREN HARUTYUNYAN
Reporting from New Delhi, India
“Whether it is Chabahar port or the International North– South Transport Corridor, connectivity projects are very im- portant for us,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokes- person Randhir Jaiswal said, outlining New Delhi’s broader approach to regional trade and transport links during a con- versation with Armenian journalists in New Delhi. Jaiswal was speaking on the sidelines of a reception hosted by the MEA on Friday, where questions focused on how Armenia and the South Caucasus fit into India’s evolv- ing connectivity vision across West Asia and Eurasia. India has invested in Iran’s Chabahar port as a key mari- time gateway providing access to Iran and onward overland routes to the wider region, bypassing Pakistan. New Delhi views the port as a southern anchor that can complement continental transport corridors linking South Asia with Eur- asian markets. One such initiative is the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal network of sea, rail and road routes connecting India with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Europe. Describing the INSTC, Jaiswal said it was an interna- tional project intended to serve collective interests. “This corridor is an international project, so every country must participate because it’s for the good of everybody,” he said, adding that all countries could contribute to connectivity initiatives. India has nonetheless engaged Armenia on connectivity in other diplomatic formats. In September, India, Iran and Armenia held their third trilateral consultations in Tehran, where the three sides reviewed progress since earlier meet- ings and agreed to expand cooperation, particularly in the field of connectivity. According to India’s foreign ministry, the discussions covered the INSTC, Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, and broader economic and trade coop- eration. The trilateral mechanism, launched in 2023, has been presented by the three governments as a platform to align regional projects and promote prosperity and welfare, with the next round of consultations scheduled for 2026 in Ar- menia. Asked about regional dynamics, Jaiswal said India closely followed developments in the South Caucasus and wanted to strengthen ties with Armenia. He stressed that sustainable partnerships required balanced engagement across multiple sectors, including trade, defence, tourism, and education, rather than reliance on a single project. Jaiswal said frequent high-level exchanges between India and Armenia reflect growing trust between the two sides, as connectivity corridors across the region continue to evolve.