Daily Times

Iran took another strategically significant decision this weekend when Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited India.The two countries signed as many as nine agreements including Tehran leasing to New Delhi operational control of part of the Iranian east coast port of Chabahar for eighteen months as reported in the media. The Shahid Beheshti port, which counts as phase-I of the Chabahar port, is not too far away from Gwadar and creates a new transit route between India and Afghanistan. India will also gain access to Central Asian markets bypassing Pakistan.

The top leadership of Iran and India in their meeting vowed to further expand their economic ties, and they announced the construction of the Chabahar-Zahedan rail link that would boost regional connectivity and energy trade in the region. The other agreements include avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion, extradition, easing visa rules for diplomats, cooperation in health and agricultural sectors.

India is already routing a consignment of 1.1 million tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port. The $85 million port project, just 90 km from the China-supported Gwadar port in Pakistan, is significant as it gives a transit route between India, Iran and Afghanistan while bypassing Pakistan.

President Rouhani and PM Modi also agreed to further intensify and diversify the existing high-level engagement through frequent and wider range of bilateral exchanges at all levels. They also stressed that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality or ethnic group. They urged an immediate end to all support and sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorist groups and individuals and were of the view that states that aid, abet and directly or indirectly support terrorism should be condemned.

It is remarkable that even after comprehensive strategic and defence pacts with Israel, India has still managed to gain the Iranian’s trust. While it is true that every country should have positive relation with its neighbours, this economic cooperation between Delhi and Tehran is more than business as usual.

Both Modi and Rouhani urged an immediate end to all support and sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorist groups and were of the view that states that aid, abet and directly or indirectly support terrorism should be condemned

The strategic consequences of port-sharing with India would be larger in extent than what is being considered. The question that immediately pops up here is if Iran will ignore the Israel-India nexus just for economic benefits without taking into consideration that it would be strengthening an alliance between two extremely anti-Muslim states. Would it really be wise for Iran to give India access to Afghanistan and through it to the Central Asian Muslim states where it could also be strategically manoeuvred by Israel?

Amazingly, the US has adopted what seems like a softer stance towards all three countries. This clearly shows the emergence of a new strategic bloc in the region. Since August, the US has been accusing Pakistan of supporting banned outfits. Despite Pakistan’s military action against the identified miscreants, the US remains unsatisfied. The US unfulfilled satisfaction has increased manifolds after Pakistan and China has entered into the CPEC that boost the flow of huge investments for the infrastructural development from silk route to Gwadar. Having swift analysis of the US statements on the CPEC and OBOR, one can easily presume the American fears as if their interests are being compromised in the region. So they have to look for alternates besides pursuing other partners in the region who can give easy access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

This is the time for Pakistan to cross-check the Iranian support to many of the religious and social elements in the name of social and religious cohesiveness. Everyone knows the hands behind the fiddling of unrest being created in the Balochistan province that needs to be tackled with stringent interventions. It is the time to be more realistic than falsely and blindly believing and supporting any “neighbourly brotherhood”. For them, it is all about economic and strategic interests without taking into consideration any common beliefs. In statecraft, the homeland and its people ought to come first and be the top priority. While we need to have put our eggs in different baskets, we also need to cross-check the durability and sustainability of the baskets. Firm and affirm approaches are vital for the futuristic decisions to plan framework for actions and interventions.

The brisk growth of CPEC will no doubt, bring more rivalry and feuds in the region and intensify certain politico-economic confrontations. China may be well-prepared for it and may have a larger vision and resources to take along even those countries having conflicts with it. Nevertheless, we need to reorganise ourselves beyond the apprehensions at home and across the borders. Based on common strategic and economic interests, we need to redefine our strategies in the region and beyond. Pakistan is surrounded by hostile and unfriendly neighbours who are also supported by those who have their own strategic and economic interests. We are left with no options but to take immediate, firm and bold steps to counter the emerging scenario. More creative engagement with Afghanistan and strategic reconciliation with the US may be helpful in wiping off the suspicions against Pakistan’s dedicated efforts.

The writer is an Islamabad-based policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed

Published in Daily Times, February 21^st 2018.