NEW DELHI, 14 October 2021, (TON): External affairs minister S Jaishankar said “India and Armenia have discussed the possibility of using Iran’s Chabahar port to enhance connectivity between the two countries to boost trade and commerce.”

Jaishankar is the first Indian foreign minister to visit Armenia since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. Armenia was the final stop on his three-nation tour that has also taken him to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

India and Armenia are members of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which has the potential to bridge the connectivity barrier between the two sides, and Armenia’s interest in using Chabahar port figured in Jaishankar’s talks with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan.

He told a media briefing in Yerevan “Minister Mirzoyan and I discussed the interest which Armenia has shown in the utilisation of the Chabahar port in Iran, which is being developed by India.”

He said “we have also proposed that Chabahar port be included in the INSTC. We would definitely like to welcome the use of Chabahar port and any other initiatives that will increase the connectivity between our countries.”

He added “the two sides also discussed the possibility of direct flights under an air services agreement.”