India Engages with US to Extend Sanctions Waiver for Chabahar Port Project

India is actively engaged with the United States to extend the conditional sanctions waiver for its strategic involvement in Iran's Chabahar port, which provides critical access to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan. The current six-month waiver, granted in October 2025, expires in April 2026. India is exploring options to reduce direct exposure, including transferring committed funds and possibly creating a new entity to continue development. Despite US threats of additional tariffs on countries trading with Iran, India maintains that exiting the project is not an option, emphasizing its long-term regional connectivity and strategic interests amid Iran's internal unrest and evolving geopolitical pressures.