India and Iran
Chabahar port is a specific logistics and business connection between India and Iran. Its 2024 contract has a different scope from total trade. The Iranian crisis of 2026 adds a risk environment that should not be obscured by earlier cooperation.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07The Chabahar contract
India Ports Global Limited and the Iranian port authority signed a long-term contract for the Shahid Beheshti terminal on 13 May 2024.
Connectivity and physical operations
Port infrastructure facilitates routes and goods operations, but logistics potential is not a figure for cargo actually handled.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 2,137.91 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Goods: India to Iran | 1,206.8 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Goods: Iran to India | 931.11 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: India to Iran | 0.27 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND |
| Export share: Iran to India | ||
| Investment stock: India in Iran | ||
| Investment stock: Iran in India |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods; full year; IND reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: India to Iran
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods; full year; IND reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Iran to India
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods; full year; IND reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: India to Iran
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / IND · Goods share: IND exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | India | Iran |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 3.96 trillion USD2025 · WB | 362.68 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 2,702.48 USD2025 · WB | 3,924.38 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 7.57 %2025 · WB | -2.83 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 5.25 %2026-10-06 · RBI | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.4 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 42.17 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4.82 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Aug. 2026 · MoSPI | |
| Unemployment | 4.22 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 8.3 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -7.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -5.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 84.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 37.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.42 %2025 · WB | 0.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Population | 1,463,865,5252025 · WB | 92,417,6812025 · WB |
| Area | 3,287,260 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 1,745,150 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDIndia: 2025 · World BankIran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personIndia: 2025 · World BankIran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)India: 2025 · World BankIran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)India: 2026-10-06 · RBI policy repo rate · Reserve Bank of India (RBI) · Access date for Current Rates; does not represent a new decision on 6 October. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-06
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)India: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World BankIran: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedIndia: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · MoSPI / Press Information Bureau, Government of India · Published: 2026-09-14 · provisional · Provisional · Combined rural and urban headline CPI, 2024 base; provisional MoSPI figure. Not food or wholesale inflation. Provisional figure or official advance release; subject to revision.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionIndia: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Iran: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)India: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Iran: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)India: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Iran: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPIndia: 2025 · World BankIran: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate. The annual reference may follow Iran's fiscal calendar.
- Population
- PeopleIndia: 2025 · World BankIran: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceIndia: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAOIran: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
India to Iran
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical products | 56.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 23.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 3.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 3.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.4 M USD2025 · Source |
Iran to India
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 236.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
Connections between people
Education, work, visits and community connections have their own records and procedures. Residents are not equivalent to annual arrivals, and visits may be repeated. The tables retain dates, definitions and sources to distinguish these connections from business contracts and government decisions. [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from India living in Iran | ||
| Residents from Iran living in India | ||
| Study and training: India in Iran | ||
| Study and training: Iran in India | ||
| Academic stays: India in Iran | ||
| Academic stays: Iran in India | ||
| Travel: India to Iran | ||
| Travel: Iran to India |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The Chabahar contract
India Ports Global Limited and the Iranian port authority signed a long-term contract for the Shahid Beheshti terminal on 13 May 2024. The instrument concerns port equipment and operations. Managing a terminal does not mean acquiring sovereignty over the port or removing all trade and financial requirements imposed by third countries. [1]
Connectivity and physical operations
Port infrastructure facilitates routes and goods operations, but logistics potential is not a figure for cargo actually handled. Equipment, services and operating contracts have different records. The Indian annual report identifies Chabahar as part of the 2024 bilateral agenda. The project is distinct from all trade between the two countries and their positions in international organisations. [1] [2]
Bilateral cooperation and other forums
The Indian report places contacts and projects alongside multilateral meetings. Participating in the same forum does not automatically create a mutual defence treaty. Economic cooperation and policy on sanctions or conflicts require different instruments. The 2025 data retain their customs coverage and are not used to estimate port activity during subsequent hostilities. [2]
The scale of the two economies
India recorded nominal GDP of 3,956.1 billion USD in 2025, compared with 362.7 in 2025 for Iran. The reference populations were 1,463.87 million (2025) and 92.42 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, India's nominal GDP was 10.91 times Iran's. These figures provide context on market size; they do not, on their own, describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates and demographic extrapolations retain their labels in the table. No ratio is calculated when the periods differ. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
The earlier contract and the 2026 conflict
The 2024 signing remains a documented earlier event, not verification of uninterrupted operations in October 2026. Diplomatic communications on the regional crisis have a different scope. This profile separates the port project, earlier statistics and security developments, without assuming that a long-term contract guarantees the continuity of every route or transaction. [1] [3]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between India and Iran totalled 2,137.9 million USD. Shipments from India to Iran were 1,206.8 million USD; those in the reverse direction were 931.1 million USD. India's shipments to the partner represented 0.27% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs reporting source is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or affiliates' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [4]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- Chabahar terminal contract
India's Press Information Bureau · Institutional source · Document: 2024-05-13 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Foreign affairs annual report 2024
Ministry of External Affairs of India · Institutional source · Document: 2025 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- China's position on the war in Iran
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China · Institutional source · Document: 2026-03-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 699; partners 0,392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / IND · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / IND
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 699; partners 392,36,784,682,376,364,50,524,144,360,704; X/M; annual goods.