Congress party has lashed out against the Modi government after Iran dropped India from the Chabahar rail project. The Indian government had signed the deal with Iran four years ago. However, Iran has dropped India from the project now.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi wrote on Twitter, “India dropped from Chahbar Port deal. This is the diplomacy of the Modi Govt that won laurels even without getting the work done, China worked quietly but gave them a better deal. Big loss for India. But you can’t ask questions! (sic)”
Moreover, Singhvi also tagged a report by The Hindu in his tweet. It stated that Tehran had decided to go ahead with the construction of the rail line. The Iranian government reportedly said there had been delay on the part of India to start the construction of the project.
The track-laying process for the 628-kilometer long rail line was launched by Iran’s Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami last week. The rail line will be extended to Zaranj in Afghanistan.
The Iranian officials told The Hindu that the rail project is expected to be finished by March 2022. Iran’s Railways has started the construction work. Approximately $400 million will be funded from the Iranian National Development Fund.
The Chabahar rail project was to be executed by the Iranian Railways and Indian Railways Construction Ltd (IRCON). It was part of a trilateral deal between India, Iran, and Afghanistan. It aimed to give shape to an alternate trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Rouhani and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in Tehran in May 2016.