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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani witness signing of agreement between Ecternal Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Iranian counterpart Mohd Javad Zarif during a ceremony at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI Photo by Manvender Vashist (PTI2_17_2018_000130B)[/caption]
New Delhi, Feb. 17 (IANS): India and Iran on Saturday pledged to stop the forces of terrorism and extremism, delinking it from religion and agreed that there should be an end to terror sanctuaries even as the two countries broad-based their relationship by signing nine agreements, including one on connectivity relating to the strategic Chabahar port. In his remarks at a joint press conference with his guest, Modi spoke of the Sufi links between the two countries and the determination to tackle terror.
Rouhani described terrorism as a problem not only for the entire region but for the whole world saying: “We must fight the roots of terrorism which are mainly intellectual and cultural stemming from promoting extremist, violent ideas and we are ready to cooperate with friendly countries, including India, in this field.”
He said relations between India and Iran were “not detrimental to any country and there are vast opportunities and potentials to deepen ties between the two countries that must be taken the best advantage of to contribute to a better future for the two nations and the region”. A joint statement issued after the talks said the two leaders welcomed the growing interaction between their National Security Councils and agreed to enhance regular and institutionalised consultations between them and others concerned on terrorism, security and related issues such as organised crime, money-laundering, drug trafficking and cyber crime.
According to Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran), the two sides shared their concern over terrorism and agreed that this global menace cannot be linked to any religion.
Rouhani said Chabahar port, as a bridge connecting India to Afghanistan, Central Asia and Eastern Europe can further strengthen historical ties between the two countries and the entire region.
Stressing that Iran can supply India’s energy needs within the framework of long-term strategic contracts, the Iranian President said: “These long-term contracts in the fields of energy and transportation will make the two countries strategic and trustful partners.”
During Modi’s visit to Tehran in 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement to jointly develop the Chabahar port. The first phase of the port became operational in December last when the first consignment of wheat from India to Afghanistan was sent through it, bypassing Pakistan. Among the agreements signed on Saturday, one was a lease contract between Port and Maritime Organisation (PMO), Iran and India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) which envisages IPGL taking over the operations of a part of the area of the multipurpose and container terminal for a period of 18 months.
Modi assured India’s support for the development of the Chabahar-Zahedan railway line to harness the full potential of the Chabahar port.
Apart from the one on connectivity, the other agreements signed included double taxation avoidance, an instrument of ratification that that brings into effect the extradition agreement that the two sides had signed in 2008 and cooperation in the areas of health, traditional systems of medicine and agriculture and allied sectors and establishment of an expert group on trade remedy measures.
Rouhani, who arrived here on Friday evening from Hyderabad, was a accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This is the first presidential visit from Iran to India in 10 years.
