India has got a six months exemption from the United States sanction on the Chabahar port in Iran, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed in its official press briefing on Thursday. This means India can use the Iranian port along the Gulf of Oman for the next six months. The development comes a day after MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal hinted at possible waiver.
“We are presently examining the implications that this [waiver] revocation has for India,” he had said.
On Thursday, he said, “We have been granted exemption for 6 months period on American sanctions that were applicable on the port.”
Last month, the Donald Trump-led US administration had withdrawn from its waiver on the sanctions from the Iranian port, which in place for India since 2018. The waiver was provided under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA), which allowed India and other countries to develop and use the port without facing any US restrictions.
#WATCH | Delhi | On exemption on Chabahar port, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "We have been granted exemption for 6 months period on American sanctions that were applicable on the port…" pic.twitter.com/TpRzecc1UW
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2025
It was aimed to help Afghanistan’s reconstruction by enabling the transport of essential goods and also supported India’s plans to connect with Afghanistan and Central Asia without relying on Pakistan.
However, to further his tough actions against Iranian regime, Trump announced the withdrawal of the sanctions with effect from September 29, 2025. After this, anyone operating or funding activities at Chabahar Port would face US sanctions under IFCA.
US State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson Thomas Pigott had said that this decision is part of Washington’s “maximum pressure” policy to “isolate Iranian regime”.
Why Chabahar port is crucial for India
In proximity, Chabahar is the closest Iranian port for India. It is a deep-water port in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province, and lies in the open sea making it safe and accessible for large ships. While the US sanctions were against Iran, the move impacted India as well.
This is because India has been working with Iran to develop the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar, which is key in its plans to reach Afghanistan and Central Asia without depending on Pakistan.
