Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SR)
New Delhi, Apr 2: With the waiver granted to India and few other countries to import oil from Iran, coming to an end today, Washington has conveyed to Delhi that it stood by India on combating terrorism after Pulwama attack and it expects reciprocity on President Trump's commitment to disrupt Iran's terror network. The US had supported India in the UN to blacklist Masood Azhar.
As reported in the Indian Express, in its conversation with Delhi, the Trump administration has assured that the exemption for the development of Chabahar port project will continue and not be effected though its decision to halt the waiver on oil imports to India is guided by its objective of 'changing the Iranian regime's malign behaviour'.
The Trump administration had granted waiver to India and four other countries which included Japan, China, South Korea and Turkey to import oil from Iran until May 1. Starting today, Indian state owned refineries or private entities will face US sanctions if it imports oil from Iran. India imports 13 % of its oil requirement from Iran and will have to look for alternate sources to fill up the gap.