1057 LARGER SCOPE: Chinaâs role in Chabahar should be seen beyond the Delhi-Beijing tug of war. Reuters
ABHIJIT BHATTACHARYYA
Commentator and Author
IN hindsight, the recent statement of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif wasn’t unexpected: “China wants to play a role in the Chabahar (port) project”. It’s Iran’s nudge to India about the arrival of Beijing in a territory where New Delhi enjoyed prime privilege for some time. Does it constitute a major breakthrough by the Communist Party of China (CPC) by creating a coveted space for itself to counter and confront India in a strategic seaport in a third country? Can India avoid future pressure and tensions in a long, connected terrain spanning Pakistan, Iran and Turkey?