Afghanistan and Uzbekistan are expressing optimism about resolving issues surrounding the Chabahar Port, a strategically important facility in Iran for landlocked nations seeking trade access to India and beyond. The port's significance is gaining renewed focus as both the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan aim to optimize its use for their business outreach to India.

Chabahar Port is located on Iran's southeastern coast and provides Afghanistan and India with a vital maritime gateway, facilitating direct access to Central Asia. This offers a strategic alternative to traditional routes that bypass Pakistan, promoting enhanced regional connectivity and economic collaboration.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi recently visited India, expressing hope that the Chabahar Port will be a game-changer in boosting trade between India and Afghanistan. Uzbekistan, guided by the principle of multipolarity, is eager to see New Delhi address concerns surrounding the port, as it doesn't want to depend on a single connectivity corridor in Eurasia or China's Belt and Road Initiative.

In late February 2024, the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan announced a $35 million investment in the Chabahar port. Cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran through Chabahar can provide the Taliban regime with more policy options and reduce its dependence on Pakistan.

On November 22, 2024, the third working group meeting on the Chabahar Port between India, Iran, and Uzbekistan was held in Mumbai. A delegation from the Afghanistan Chambers of Commerce attended as a special invitee. Participants emphasized the port's importance in supporting Afghanistan's reconstruction and economic development, as well as providing an alternate trade corridor to Central Asia. They also noted the increase in transit traffic through Chabahar and discussed ways to enhance regional connectivity.

India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), through its subsidiary India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), took over the operations of the Chabahar Port on December 24, 2018. Since then, the port has handled over 450 vessels, 134,082 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent) of containerized cargo, and more than 8.7 million tons of bulk cargo. There has been a 1200% increase in containers handled during the last financial year.

Uzbekistan has officially signed an agreement to join Iran's Chabahar International Trade Project. This agreement aims to create a new transport corridor for the shipment of goods among Afghanistan, India, and Iran through the Chabahar Port. By linking the Chabahar transit road to the Caucasus and East European countries, Iran is introducing an alternative to the marine route through the Suez Canal.

India has committed $85 million in grant assistance and a $150 million credit facility for the development of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal in Chabahar port and offers loading and unloading services. New Delhi has also supplied six mobile harbor cranes and other equipment worth $25 million.

While not yet fully integrated, the existing transportation infrastructure between Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia provides a foundation for linking Chabahar Port to Central Asia via Afghanistan. Achieving this would require upgrades to key road corridors, as well as rail lines such as Chabahar–Zahedan and Hairatan–Mazar.