<p data-path-to-node="5" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">India is exploring operational arrangements to temporarily transfer day-to-day management of the <b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="116" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar Port</b> to a local Iranian entity, aiming to shield Indian commercial stakeholders from secondary US sanctions while maintaining long-term strategic access to Central Asian trade corridors.</p><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_0c24bb9565c16661-47" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-57 citation-end-57" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The diplomatic and operational recalibration follows tightening US sanctions enforcement and the expiration of specific waivers, prompting New Delhi to redesign its operating model rather than exit the high-stakes maritime gateway.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2318457044="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2318457044="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="1" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c746355749="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c746355749="" _nghost-ng-c3839862124="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><h3 data-path-to-node="8" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Key Operational Highlights &amp; Strategic Recalibration</h3><ul data-path-to-node="9" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,0,0" id="p-rc_0c24bb9565c16661-48" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Temporary Operational Restructuring:</b> <span class="citation-56 citation-end-56" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Under the proposed framework, a domestic Iranian entity will manage on-ground port operations during the active sanctions period, with control slated to return to India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) once geopolitical restrictions ease.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2318457044="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2318457044="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="2" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c746355749="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c746355749="" _nghost-ng-c3839862124="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,1,0" id="p-rc_0c24bb9565c16661-49" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Asset Protection &amp; Leasing Model:</b> <span class="citation-55 citation-end-55" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Having fulfilled its foundational capital commitments including heavy-duty mobile harbour cranes and terminal cargo handling equipment India plans to effectively lease these physical assets back to the operational framework, keeping them functionally aligned with Indian trade flows.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2318457044="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2318457044="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="3" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c746355749="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c746355749="" _nghost-ng-c3839862124="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,2,0" id="p-rc_0c24bb9565c16661-50" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Bypassing Regional Chokepoints:</b> <span class="citation-54 citation-end-54" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Chabahar remains India’s primary maritime alternative to bypass overland transit hurdles across Pakistan, providing direct maritime and multimodal connectivity to landlocked Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics, and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2318457044="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2318457044="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="4" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c746355749="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c746355749="" _nghost-ng-c3839862124="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,3,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,3,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Parallel Diplomatic Engagement:</b> New Delhi continues back-channel and bilateral discussions with Washington to advocate for sanctions exemptions on the humanitarian and regional connectivity grounds of the terminal.</p></li></ul>