US revokes Chabahar port’s sanctions waiver; India examines

The United States has announced that it has revoked the sanctions waiver for operations at Iran’s Chabahar Port, issued in 2018. The State Department said that, consistent with President Trump’s maximum pressure policy to isolate the Iranian regime, the Secretary of State has revoked the sanctions exception issued in 2018 under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA) for Afghanistan reconstruction assistance and economic development, effective September 29, 2025. India is examining the US decision as it is more than a routine sanctions move. It directly affects India’s regional outreach and diplomatic balancing. If sanctions deter shipping companies, banks or insurers, India’s ability to continue this humanitarian outreach will be compromised, weakening one of its strongest diplomatic levers in Kabul. In sum, India’s access to Afghanistan, its humanitarian outreach and its broader strategy to balance Iran and counter China are all at stake. The revocation of the waiver does not just complicate port operations. It also reshapes the geopolitical map India has been trying to draw for two decades, as per a report.

Please visit our youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ikargos2719 for fortnightly logistics news analysis and more!