MNA � India�s deputy minister of transport said on Tue. that Chabahar port will be considered as India�s sole connecting point for the development of Afghanistan.

He made the remark in the 1st International Conference on the Development of Chabahar Port in Sistan and Baluchestan province.

He reiterated that the Indian trade and business delegation is the largest foreign delegation taking part at the conference.

The Indian deputy minister pointed to the history of economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries, adding �our bilateral business and trade ties date back to many years ago. Iranian and Indian people have traditionally traded with one another from long time ago.�

He then pointed to the significance of Chabahar port for India�s trade with Afghanistan and said, �presently, a major portion of India�s economic exchanges are done via Chabahar port, and we have considered Chabahar port to ship products to neighboring Afghanistan.�

Afghanistan�s first cargo of products was shipped to India�s Bombay port via Chabahar port, he added.

Turning to the significance of completion of Chabahar-Zahedan railway for boosting India�s trade exchanges with Afghanistan and the need to complete infrastructures in Chabahar port, he said, �once the construction operation of Qazvin-Rasht-Astara Railway is put into operation, it can be used as two connecting corridors of India with the Central Asia and Caucasus.�

He also pointed to the exemption of Chabahar port from US sanctions, adding that the opportunity can be used for the development of Afghanistan.