| Abstract: | In the years following the Cold War, India and Iran changed their old partnership based in traditional trade cooperation to a modern partnership that heavily relies on regional connectivity and energy security. The analysis of bilateral relations sheds light on how emerging powers can balance their need for strategic autonomy with systemic constraints due to the unilateral sanctions imposed by a third party and the global non-proliferation regime. The research looks at important geo-economic projects, namely the Chabahar Port and the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), through the prism of geopolitical tensions that have been caused by U.S. sanctions and Iran’s nuclear issues. The results reveal that although such transit routes give India a unique and highly advantageous opportunity to access Afghanistan and Central Asia without having to go through Pakistan, the rise in geopolitical tensions was detrimental to India-Iran cooperation. This was the reason behind India’s inability to increase crude oil imports from Iran, the loss of important upstream possessions like the Farzad-B gas field, and significant changes in the work at Chabahar port after the expiration of U.S. sanction waivers. So engagement with Tehran demands thorough risk management, fast energy diversification, and continuous diplomatic flexibility. At the same time, this research provides crucial insights into the weaknesses of economic corridors in the region in a world which is becoming increasingly fragmented and multipolar. |
