The Shahid Beheshti Terminal is a deep-water container and multipurpose port facility located at the Chabahar Port in Iran, situated on the Gulf of Oman. It is one of the two main terminals at Chabahar, the other being Shahid Kalantari. The terminal is a strategic provision for India, designed to enhance regional connectivity and trade.
The concept originated from India's need for an alternative trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. India first committed to investing in the port's development in 2013. The mechanism was formalized with the Trilateral Transit and Transport Corridor Agreement signed in 2016 by India, Iran, and Afghanistan. This agreement granted India a ten-year lease to develop and operate two berths and five terminals at the Shahid Beheshti section.
The terminal is operated by India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), a joint venture of Indian public sector enterprises. India committed an initial investment of approximately USD 85 million to develop Phase I, including the supply of cargo-handling equipment. The terminal is a key node in the proposed International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), connecting India to Russia and Europe. Strategically, it is viewed as a counter to the China-developed Gwadar Port in Pakistan.
The operational framework recently changed when the interim arrangement, which had governed operations since December 2018, was replaced by a long-term agreement. On May 13, 2024, IPGL and Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) signed a ten-year contract in Tehran for the equipping and operation of the terminal. This new contract commits India to an additional investment of approximately USD 120 million.