Finance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian examined all aspects of India-Iran relations during bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.
“Had a very good meeting with the President of Iran, Mr. Masoud Pezeshkian. We reviewed the full range of relations between our countries. We also discussed ways to deepen ties in futuristic sectors,” PM Modi wrote on X.
This was the first bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Pezeshkian, who took over as the President of Iran in July following ex-President Ebrahim Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash on May 19.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that PM Modi congratulated Pezeshkian on his election as the 9th President of Iran.
“He also welcomed Iran into the BRICS family. The two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in various fields. Noting that the signing of the long-term contract of Chabahar Port is an important milestone in bilateral relations, the two leaders reaffirmed its significance for reconstruction and redevelopment of Afghanistan and enhancing trade and economic linkages with Central Asia,” the MEA statement read.
The statement also mentioned that the two leaders exchanged views on regional developments, including the situation in West Asia.
“PM Modi expressed deep concern over the widening of the conflict and reiterated India’s call to de-escalate the situation. The Prime Minister also emphasised protection of civilians and the role of diplomacy in resolving the conflict,” it read.
Both leaders agreed to continue their cooperation in various multilateral forums, including BRICS and SCO.
“The Prime Minister invited President Pezeshkian to visit India at an early date. President Pezeshkian accepted the invitation,” the statement noted.
Earlier, on July 30, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari represented India at Pezeshkian’s swearing-in event in Tehran.
The BRICS alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, welcomed four new members on January 1, 2024: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran also joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during India’s chairmanship.
During the late Iranian President Raisi’s tenure, India-Iran cooperation in a variety of industries, particularly connectivity, grew dramatically.
Both countries accelerated infrastructure cooperation, focusing particularly on the Chabahar project and the International North-South Transport route (INSTC), a 7,200-kilometer multimodal trade route that connects Russia and India via Iran’s ports.
On May 13, two days before Raisi’s murder, India and Iran signed a 10-year contract to operate Chabahar Port.
Earlier in the day, shortly after arriving in Kazan, Prime Minister Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Source:IANS
