Iran values long-standing, civilisational ties with India: Foreign Ministry
Iran's Foreign Ministry described its relationship with India as rooted in long-standing historical and civilisational links, ahead of the BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi
Chabahar Port was named as a recurring subject of consultations between the two countries, described as important to both sides
The statement followed a meeting between the Iranian President and the Indian Prime Minister on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek
India is hosting the BRICS Summit from 11-13 September 2026, which Iran's leadership is expected to attend, providing a further venue for bilateral consultations
Chabahar Port: Strategic and Legal Framework
Chabahar is Iran's only deep-water port with direct access to the Indian Ocean, located in Sistan-Baluchestan province outside the Persian Gulf and therefore insulated from potential disruption at the Strait of Hormuz. India has developed and operated the Shahid Beheshti terminal there since a 10-year contract was signed in May 2024, giving India a transit route to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia that does not require transit through Pakistan.
Chabahar's recurring mention in India-Iran ministerial-level consultations reflects its centrality to bilateral cooperation, distinct from and complementary to India's broader Iran engagement on trade, energy, and connectivity.
India-Iran Bilateral Mechanisms
India and Iran conduct regular institutionalised consultations, including Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) at the level of senior officials/deputy foreign ministers, alongside leader-level meetings on the sidelines of multilateral forums such as SCO and BRICS. These mechanisms are used to review the full spectrum of the relationship, including connectivity, trade, energy, and regional security.
Key Details
- Foreign Office Consultations (FOC): periodic senior-official-level bilateral review mechanism; the 19th round was held in Delhi/Tehran-track discussions in early 2025
- Leader-level contact in 2026 occurred on the sidelines of the SCO Summit (Bishkek) ahead of the BRICS Summit (New Delhi)
- India and Iran are both members of SCO (Iran since 2023) and BRICS (Iran since January 2024), giving multiple recurring venues for engagement
The Foreign Ministry's reference to "usual" consultations covering Chabahar reflects the institutionalised, multi-venue nature of India-Iran bilateral engagement — a useful example of how bilateral ties are sustained through both dedicated mechanisms (FOC) and multilateral-forum sidelines (SCO, BRICS).
- Chabahar Shahid Beheshti terminal: 10-year operating contract, signed May 2024, operated by IPGL
- Chabahar's location outside the Persian Gulf/Strait of Hormuz is its key strategic differentiator from other Iranian ports
- Iran became a full BRICS member in January 2024 and a full SCO member in 2023
- BRICS Summit 2026: New Delhi, 11-13 September 2026