Dr. Hasan Yaser Malik
Gwadar and Jask are the two ports located in North Arabian Sea close to Strait of Hormuz. Jask Port sits almost at the western entrance of Strait of Hormuz, however Gwadar Port being more secure is situated out of Gulf of Oman and further west at the distance of 500 km from Jask Port. Chabahar another Iranian port lies west of Jask Port at distance of 300 km and 200 km East of Pakistani Gwadar Port. Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, Sohar, Muscat and Sur are port on the southern coast of Gulf of Oman. Geographically Gwadar, Jask and Chabahar are the most important ports in region including Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, however Gwadar Port remains the most geopolitically dominant port. Before factoring in the Jask Port it will be prudent to understand the geo-political positioning of Gwadar Port with pragmaticallyreference to global maritime strategy.
Gwadar as part of Contemporary Blue Diplomacy
Although Chabahar is part of 7200 km long International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) since 2002 however, it still have terrain, financial and geo-political issues. Moreover Apart from terrain, financial and geo-political issues, security of INSTC in Afghanistan and Iran due to regional and extra regional concerns will remain a disquiet for development of Chabahar Port in future. It is pertinent to note that Gwadar Port is more suitable not only for Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade since 2010 but is also most suitable for Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement members, other Central Asian countries and Russia. Moreover Gwadar is about 500 km and 24 hours more close to world largest Khargos Dry Port; between China and Kazakhstan as compared Chabahar Port.Majority of Ashgabat Agreement (Multimodal Transport Agreement) members are looking forward to join CPEC and BRI hence further diminishing the value of INSTC and prioritising Gwadar.
Considering the US sanctions over Iran it will be difficult for India to maintain a balance between U.S and Iran, hence Indian investment in Chabahar is likely to remain a fallacy; Iran once again, by all means has expressed his willingness to join CPEC to promote bilateral or trilateral diplomatic relations with Pakistan mainly in the field of economy; hence will be supporting Gwadar Port. Recent Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan and Sri Lanka in April 2024 is evidence of its lining with Beijing backed maritime and other projects. On 27 May, 2016 Iranian ambassador to Pakistan, Mehdi Hoonerdost, at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad also expressed that Chabahar Port and Gwadar Port are not rival but sister ports.
Beijing Tehran emerging rapprochement revealing an up-coming twenty five years plan for multipurpose cooperation worth US $ 480 billion will further enhance the regional and Indo-Pacific peace; despite any possible Indian sabotaging efforts. However it may be possible that Beijing may allow Delhi to invest a little in Chabahar to secure Chinese large investment in Iran.
Comparison of Gwadar Port with Chabahar Port
Chabahar has capacity of 8.6 MT whereas Gwadar has Capacity of 400 MT, whereas Gwadar port has the depth to accommodate ship carrying more than 20,000 containers whereas Chabahar Port can house a ship carrying 5000 containers. Gwadar port as compared to Chabahar is part of large protected harbour. Gwadar Port’s eastern side (Demi Zar) is open and its western bay (Padi Zar) is having a width of 18 Km. On the contrary Chabahar is port is restricted to be a part of 14 Km wide Chabahar Bay. Gwadar Port being part of a 13 km long Isthmus with a width of 13 Km is having an open approach channel. Gwadar Port is closer to Kabul as compared to Chabahar Port by 168 km and 8 hours away.Chabahar Port is 72 km more close to Strait of Hurmuz as compared to Gwadar Port.Communication Infrastructure from Gwadar to Kabul is better developed than Chabahar to Kabul with various alternates and is continuously being improved as part of CPEC. Chabahar Port will be run by India Global Port Limited which will be its first experience to run an overseas port on the contrary Gwadar Port would be run by one of the experienced Chinese company.
Iranian Oil Terminal at Jask Port
Considering the limitations like permanent presence of US Fifth Naval Fleet in Persian Gulf, Joining of Israel Navy to US Fleet in Persian Gulf, Location of major Iranian oils and gas terminus at eastern end of Persian Gulf, Dubai Port World, narrow navigational path in of Strait of Hormuz it will be prudent for Tehran to shifts its main oil terminus out of Persian Gulf and East of Strait of Hormuz and the best location for the new oil and gas terminus will be the Jask Port. Although this would entail construction of oil and gas pipeline from various parts of country to Jask Port, Hence with a view to ensure and secure its oil needs Beijing is likely to invest a large some of amount in Iran. Keeping in view the easier and safer linkage of hydrocarbon pipelines form Gwadar to western China and Central Asian Republics it will be Beijing’s priority to import the hydrocarbons from Gwadar, hence linking of Jask and Gwadar Ports will be not only prudent China, Central Asia, Arabian Peninsula but also Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan too.
Such a combination of Gwadar and Jask Ports will not only add to the economy and social development of the regionalcountries but will also improve the global maritime domain and inter-faith Muslim Harmony.It must be noticed that Muslim Indian Ocean states are majority among the all littoral states of Indian Ocean; it is not only that they are majority but are possessing all the vital choke points in Indian Ocean, hence it will be convenient for the Muslim Indian Ocean littoral states to adopt a common strategy to work in unison for prosperity, peace and stability in Indian Ocean while working with China. Such an opportunity will be beneficial for China too as it will allow Beijing to assert more pragmatically for establishment of 4500 km long Sixth Island from Azores to Trinidad in Atlantic Ocean to further trap the already ocean trapped US.
Writer is PhD on Gwadar Port