India has been granted a waiver of six months from the United States’ sanctions against the Chabahar port in Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, on Thursday (October 30, 2025) announced the exemption news while answering queries during a weekly press briefing. He said that India is studying the implications of American sanctions on Russian oil companies.
“I can confirm that we have been granted exemption for six months on the American sanctions that were applicable on Chabahar,” Jaiswal said while briefing the media in New Delhi. President Donald Trump revoked the sanctions waiver applicable to Chabahar Port in September. India has been associated with the commercial transit centre since 2005, when it agreed with Iran to develop the port.
“We have seen the press statement which was issued by the US side yesterday on the revocation of the sanctions waiver that applies to Chabahar Port. We are presently examining the implications that this revocation has for India,” Jaiswal said last month.
US Sanctions on Chabahar Port Effective From Oct 29
The sanctions waiver is effective from 29th October. The spokesperson also confirmed on Thursday that some Indian companies have received licenses for importing rare earth magnets from China. He mentioned that India continues to remain engaged with the US side on finalizing the trade deal.
The Trump administration had announced waiver revocation over the Iranian port in almost ten days, terminating a special waiver granted to India in 2018. According to the US Department of State’s official statement issued on Tuesday, the operators of the Chabahar Port will face sanctions from September 29.
“Additionally, consistent with President Trump’s maximum pressure policy to isolate the Iranian regime, the Secretary of State has revoked the sanctions exception issued in 2018 under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA) for Afghanistan reconstruction assistance and economic development, effective September 29, 2025. Once the revocation is effective, persons who operate the Chabahar Port or engage in other activities described in IFCA may expose themselves to sanctions under IFCA,” State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott said.
This deal, signed between Indian Ports Global Ltd. (IPGL) and Iran’s Port and Maritime Organisation (PMO), gives India operational control over the Shahid Beheshti terminal, a key component of Chabahar’s port infrastructure.
