Indian FM: New Delhi Ready to Launch Long-Term Cooperation with Tehran


Indian FM: New Delhi Ready to Launch Long-Term Cooperation with Tehran

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Indian Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid expressed his country’s preparedness to set up long-term relations with Iran, and called for expansion of Tehran-New Delhi economic cooperation.

“India is determined to step into a long-term relation and multilateral cooperation with Iran, which benefits nations of the both countries,” Khurshid said in a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in the Kyrgyz capital city of Bishkek on Friday.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 13th annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Kyrgyzstan.

The Indian minister also attached significance to New Delhi’s partnership in implementation of infrastructural and gas projects in Iran, including activities in the Iranian port of Chabahar, saying it would upgrade economic cooperation between the two countries.

President Rouhani, for his part, described Tehran-New Delhi cooperation as “highly significant and effective” for the whole region, and called for continuation of bilateral relations regardless of the illegal and unfair sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic.

Earlier on September 2, India's ambassador to Tehran had announced that his country, one of the oldest customers of Iran's crude, is firm on its stance to import oil from Iran and wants to ensure that energy cooperation between the two sides is not limited to the trade of crude.

Iran is a reliable source which can supply India’s increasing demands for energy, Indian Ambassador to Tehran Shri D.P. Srivastava said at the time.

India is among Asia’s major importers of energy and relies on the Islamic Republic of Iran to meet part of its energy needs.

India imports about 70 percent of its crude oil from abroad.

 

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