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The development of Chabahar Port is strategically important for India for several reasons, but the most significant among them is that it provides India with an alternate access route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. Here`s why Option 3 is the correct answer:
Option 1: While the development of Chabahar Port could potentially increase India`s trade with African countries in the long run, it is not the primary reason for India`s investment in the port. Moreover, the port`s location on the southeastern coast of Iran makes it less strategically viable for trade with Africa.
Option 2: India`s relations with oil-producing Arab countries are not likely to be directly impacted by the development of Chabahar Port. However, India`s energy security could be enhanced indirectly as the port would provide access to Iran`s vast energy reserves, which could help India reduce its dependence on Arab countries for oil imports.
Option 4: There is no significant connection between the development of Chabahar Port and the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India. In fact, such a pipeline would likely traverse through Iran and would not need to pass through Pakistan.
India`s primary motive for investing in the development of Chabahar Port is to bypass Pakistan and gain direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, which could provide several strategic advantages. For decades, Pakistan has been the main transit route for India`s trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, but it has been a contentious issue due to political tensions between India and Pakistan. Pakistan has imposed various restrictions on Indian goods transiting through its territory, which has hampered India`s trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The development of Chabahar Port would allow India to circumvent these restrictions and provide direct access to these markets. It would also enable India to establish a sea-land route that could connect the port to Afghanistan`s Garland Highway, which would significantly reduce the transportation costs and transit time for goods moving between India and Afghanistan.
Furthermore, Chabahar Port could also serve as a strategic outpost for India in the region, providing it with a base to counter China`s growing presence in the Indian Ocean and the broader region. The port could also provide India with access to Iran`s Chabahar-Zahedan-Mashhad railway, which could facilitate trade with Central Asia and Europe.
In conclusion, while the development of Chabahar Port could have some potential benefits for India`s trade with Africa and energy security, its primary significance lies in providing India with an alternate access route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan, and establishing a strategic outpost in the region.