The facility was necessary to province Afghanistan with economic alternatives, he said in a written reply to Lok Saba.
India was participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with the government of Iran, the state minister said.
He added India Ports Global Limited had taken over port operations in December 2018 and had since been successfully handling cargo.
Afghanistan has also started using the facility. It sent its first export consignment . . .
