Mumbai: India and Iran have “surveyed” the possibilities of settling trade transactions in rupee or through barter system, along with discussing a need to establish a banking mechanism, foreign minister of the Middle Eastern country, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said Thursday.
New Delhi and Tehran have also agreed to “precipitate” investment in the Chabahar Port which is being developed with the help of India, the visiting minister said.
“Yesterday, we discussed with Indian high officials as a special need with my colleague the external (affairs) minister on the need to establish a banking mechanism,” Abdollahian said at an event organised by the World Trade Centre here.
The two sides “surveyed” the possibility of trade in local currency, including rupee, or otherwise barter, he added.
He said there are existing mechanisms within the framework of international law which can help in reviving the “banking and financial interaction”, pointing out that Tehran has implemented such a mechanism with a dozen countries already.
Abdollahian, who is on a three-day visit to India, addressed industry representatives in the financial capital. His arrival was delayed due to another round of meeting with Indian Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar on Thursday morning, as per organisers.
“As we speak, we’ve in mind recognised legal mechanisms that can be conducive for development of trade between india and Iran,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
There are “ample opportunities” for India and Iran irrespective of the “unilateral sanctions” imposed by the US, which will not last for long, he added.
Abdollahian, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Wednesday, said New Delhi and Tehran have agreed to “delineate a long term roadmap”.
He further said Modi is “way forward” on such thinking about a long-term partnership, and stressed during the meeting that both the countries are already implementing the roadmap even before formalising it.
The foreign minister said there were detailed and forward looking discussions on economic and trade aspects, adding that Indo-Iranian trade was centuries old.
He also said Chabahar Port is a very reliable infrastructure asset and added that it is already functional with help from Indian investment.
“We agreed to precipitate the investment in this port,” he said, adding that discussions were also held on energy.
A “special heed” was paid to the capacities in oil, petroleum and gas that exists within Iran, he said.
Iran has kept the domestic trade routes across the country ready and active to help the cause of trade, especially amid the war triggered by Russian invasion of Ukraine, he added.
PTI