Iran Completes Chabahar-Zahedan Rail Link, Boosting India’s Central Asia Connectivity
The strategic 730-km railway connecting Chabahar with Zahedan has been completed and is expected to become fully operational within three to four months, strengthening India’s access to Afghanistan, Central Asia and eastern Russia.
Iran has completed the 730-km Chabahar-Zahedan railway line, marking a significant step towards strengthening regional transport links and improving India’s connectivity with Afghanistan, Central Asia and eastern Russia.
The railway, which has been under construction for years, connects the strategically important Chabahar region with Zahedan in southeastern Iran. The project is expected to become fully operational within the next three to four months, with final preparations and safety checks underway.
For India, the railway could strengthen the importance of Chabahar Port as a regional trade gateway, providing access towards Afghanistan and the landlocked Central Asian economies without requiring transit through Pakistan.
HIGHLIGHT: The 730-km Chabahar-Zahedan railway includes 33 stations, 39 tunnels and 201 bridges and is expected to become fully operational within three to four months.
The new rail infrastructure is also expected to improve connections between Central Asia and the Indian Ocean. Afghanistan and several Central Asian countries lack direct access to international maritime routes, making transport corridors through Iran strategically important for regional trade.
Chabahar has long been an important component of India’s connectivity strategy in the region. India has invested in the development of the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar Port, with the broader objective of facilitating trade and transport links with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
India and Iran have also been discussing arrangements aimed at safeguarding New Delhi’s interests in Chabahar Port. The port was among the issues discussed when Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi.
According to the report, India is in talks with Iran over an arrangement involving a local ports authority that could help protect its management interests at Chabahar and provide for those rights to be transferred to India when US sanctions are lifted.
The Chabahar corridor also has wider significance for regional connectivity because of its potential integration with transport networks linking India, Iran, Central Asia and Russia.
The railway's completion could eventually enable more efficient cargo movement from the Indian Ocean through Iran towards Central Asia and eastern Russia, supporting India's efforts to diversify its international trade and logistics routes.
Iranian authorities are now conducting final safety checks and completing preparations before the railway enters full commercial operation.
Once operational, the Chabahar-Zahedan railway could significantly enhance the role of Chabahar as a gateway connecting the Indian Ocean with Afghanistan and Central Asia, while providing India with another strategic route for trade with the wider Eurasian region.