Iran yesterday has asked India to invest $10 billion for development of Chabahar as an alternative to Bandar Abbas. Iran has been receptive to this project as its main port, Bandar Abbas, where the bulk of Iran’s 18,000-strong navy is located, suffers from heavy congestion and vulnerabilities. Overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, it also faces constant US patrolling and surveillance. India’s long term expectation would be to gain access for its navy there.
Both India and Iran see tremendous value in military cooperation, even if to date, few
large-scale military interactions have taken place. They have focused on three major areas of mutual concern: first, regional and international security perspectives; second, the security and defense policies of India and Iran; and third, issues related to the international disarmament agenda.
India and Iran have enjoyed good maritime relations that include high-level political and military visits, joint-naval exercises, naval technology cooperation, and maritime infrastructure developments symbolized by port development in Chahbahar. Naval cooperation between the two sides dates back to the mid-1990s when the Indian Navy helped the Iranian Navy to adapt four Russian-built Kilo-class submarines for warm water conditions in the Persian Gulf.
Most important is the fact that there is mutual concern about the security of sea-lanes from and to the Gulf through the strait of Hormuz for which it would be necessary for establishing a joint Indo-Iranian naval presence at Chabahar. The presence of Indian engineers at Chahbahar and of Indian military advisors and intelligence officials in Iran confers to India a significant access to Iran.
See my post above. Your rant will be put to rest!
Check out my post above.