Gwadar Port and its Geopolitical Impact on India

Gwadar Port is a deep-water port with views of the Arabian Sea. It is a component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an ambitious project that aims to establish China as a key hub for trade and logistics between Europe and Central Asia.

The Gwadar Port

The Gwadar Port is an Arabian Sea’s deep seaport located in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The Gwadar Port Authority of the Pakistan government owns it and leases it to the China Overseas Port Holding Company for operation.

The port is considered to be a connection between the Maritime Silk Road project and the One Belt One Road Initiative.  It’s a crucial part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) strategy. It is located near the Persian Gulf’s mouth and about 170 kilometers to the east of Chabahar Port.

As a commercial port, Gwadar is a very significant location for ships to dock. The port serves as a starting point for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which links Mombasa, Kenya, with the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal, Central Europe with the North Sea via rail, and the Chinese coast via the Strait of Malacca. Numerous factors, like the availability of about 70,000 deadweight tonnes, a draught of 14.5 meters that makes it simple to convey large cargo, and direct docking at the port with ample berthing facilities.

Gwadar Port

Geopolitical Impact of Gwadar Port on India

• India has expressed concern over China encircling it in a “String of Pearls” and Gwadar port is one such initiative of it. China’s aggressive regional engagements have long concerned India. India faces a number of geopolitical impacts. 
• The expansion of Gwadar port puts India’s naval security in the Arabian Sea and a sizeable amount of its energy and oil imports through the Gulf of Oman in peril.
• Indian maritime surveillance in the Andaman Sea could increase after Chinese interest in the Pakistani port of Gwadar.
• The project may aid insurgency and terrorism and increase security hazards due to its proximity to Baluchistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
• The port project’s lack of accountability and transparency raises questions because it could be strategically and economically biased in favor of China.
• Through broadcast TV’s terrestrial distribution in Pakistan, which will collaborate with Chinese media in the “dissemination of Chinese culture,” China will likewise spread its ideology and culture.
• As Pakistan’s foreign policy, particularly with India, may be dictated by China, exacerbating the already strained relations and causing political instability in South Asia, the project may weaken Pakistan’s sovereignty;
• India might stop Chinese imports from crossing the straits in the event of hostilities.
• India’s Response to Gwadar Port:
• India’s response was to build Chabahar Port, which is only 76 nautical miles from Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which was built by China.
• India decided to proceed with the construction of the Chabahar Port in order to enhance trade connectivity with Russia, countries in Central Asia, and Afghanistan.
• India has agreed to invest in the Chabahar Special Economic Zone through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). 
• India places a high focus on developing the Chabahar-Hajigak corridor. The Afghan government awarded Indian companies the contract for the Hajigak iron and steel project, making it noteworthy.
• Though Chabahar is merely a business venture, Gwadar is a military strategic endeavor. Iran is also concerned about Gwadar’s growth, which is considered as a threat to Chabahar.

History of Gwadar Port

The term Gwadar is a fusion of two Balochi words, guard meaning ‘wind’ and dar meaning ‘door’, thus understood as meaning, ‘The Door of Wind’.

There have been numerous conflicts over the Gwadar Port since time immemorial. Even though Pakistan designated the region as its port location, the Omani government was in charge of Gwadar by 1954. Following negotiations, Pakistan gave Oman £3 million (£65.3 million in 2019) for the Gwadar territory on September 8, 1958.

The Pakistani government gave its approval for the port’s construction in 1995, but the project was unable to get off due to a lack of funding.

Construction on Phase 1 of the project began in 2002, despite the fact that it was never initiated due to economic sanctions imposed on Pakistan as a result of its nuclear test in May 1998. However, after an agreement with the Premier of China in 2001, the project was finally able to move forward.

Master Plan for Gwadar Port

In order to implement the “Gwadar Master Plan,” which was revealed in 2002, the Gwadar Development Authority was set up in October 2003. The Master Plan’s original focus was solely on Gwadar’s “land usage.” Currently, they also include the “Internal Road Network, Land Zoning, and Vision for Future Gwadar.” The construction of Gwadar Port takes place in two stages. 

Phase I (2002–2006)

The initial stage of building at the Gwadar Port began in 2002 and was completed in 2006. It has a 4.5 km long canal that has been dredged to a depth of 12.5 meters, three multipurpose berths that are each 602 meters long, and other characteristics. Construction is expected to cost $248 million.

Phase II (starting in 2007)

The second phase of construction is currently underway as a result of CPEC and other ancillary projects. The total cost of the project is anticipated to be $1.02 billion. A 2,292-acre special economic zone with 4 container berths along 3.2 kilometers of shoreline, 1 bulk cargo terminal with a capacity of 100,000 DWT ships, 1 ro-ro terminal, 2 oil terminals with a capacity of 200,000 DWT ships each, and 1-grain terminal will be built near to the port.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which was introduced in 2015, is a multibillion-dollar dream project of China. Beijing hopes to expand its worldwide influence by sponsoring infrastructure development through the BRI. By constructing energy projects, special economic zones, ports, and transportation networks, the CPEC project aims to quickly upgrade Pakistan’s vital infrastructure and boost its economy. In the end, it aims to establish a massive roadway and rail network between the cities of Xinjiang in North-Western China and Gwadar in South Western Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan would receive loans from Chinese banks that are heavily discounted, which will be used to fund the proposed project.

CPEC and Gwadar Port

According to a 2015 report, Gwadar port will be developed as a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC). CPEC would spend $1.62 billion on the development of Gwadar port. As part of the larger $2.5 billion Gwadar-Nawabshah segment of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, a floating LNG facility will also be built at the port.

The 2,292-acre property is used to establish the Gwadar Special Economic Zone, which is near the port, was leased to a Chinese company for a 43-year period and construction began in June 2016. The Gwadar Port was formally inaugurated on November 14, 2016, and it would be active for the Afghan transit trade by 2020.

India’s Response to Gwadar Port

• India’s response was to build Chabahar Port, which is only 76 nautical miles from Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which was built by China.
• India decided to proceed with the construction of the Chabahar Port in order to enhance trade connectivity with Russia, countries in Central Asia, and Afghanistan.
• India has agreed to invest in the Chabahar Special Economic Zone through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). 
• India places a high focus on developing the Chabahar-Hajigak corridor. The Afghan government awarded Indian companies the contract for the Hajigak iron and steel project, making it noteworthy.
• Though Chabahar is merely a business venture, Gwadar is a military strategic endeavor. Iran is also concerned about Gwadar’s growth, which is considered as a threat to Chabahar.

Way Forward

• According to the agreement, India’s participation in the development of Iran’s Chabahar Port is a response to the substantial construction initiatives in Gwadar. 
• China-sponsored Gwadar port in Pakistan and India-sponsored Chabahar in Iran has been referred to as “strategic geopolitical launch pads” for China and India, respectively. 
• India’s future CPEC policy must be built on a thorough reevaluation of the possible advantages as well as disadvantages.
• An economic cooperation pact between India and Japan called the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor can offer India significant strategic advantages and compete with China’s infrastructural projects like Gwadar port.
• India has to move more quickly on the creation of its own key projects, such as the Chabahar Port and Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM).
• The construction of a link between Gwadar and Chabahar has been proposed by the Iranian government as a gesture of goodwill to promote cooperation over competition.

Conclusion

Finally, the Gwadar Port of Pakistan, which is being heavily built by China, has grown in prominence in light of recent world events that are increasingly focused on maritime-related commercial activities. Both trade and security can benefit from control over port operations and regulation of marine communication links.

The construction of the Gwadar Port has also contributed to the unrest in the area and elsewhere. The advantages provided by the port seem to favor China over other nations. This has exacerbated concerns about security and the economy of countries in the region.

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Gwadar Port and its Geopolitical India- FAQs

What is Gwadar Port and where is it located?

The Gwadar Port is an essential part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and could develop into one of the main region for trade. Gwadar Port is situated in Pakistan’s Balochistan province’s Gwadar district.

Importance of Gwadar Port?

Economic: Gwadar can increase regional trade, lower transportation costs for China and Central Asian nations, and generate new employment opportunities in Pakistan. Strategic: Gwadar can give China better access to the Gulf, a strategic presence in the Indian Ocean, and improved naval capabilities.

What are India’s primary geopolitical worries with regards to Gwadar Port?

Growing Chinese influence: India perceives China’s involvement in Gwadar as a challenge to its control over the region and believes it is a part of China’s “String of Pearls” plan to encircle the country. Security concerns: Gwadar’s close proximity to important commerce routes and the possibility of Chinese Navy use are viewed as dangers to India’s security. Economic competition: Gwadar may cause trade to be diverted from Indian ports, which would be detrimental to India’s economic goals.

Is Gwadar the world’s deepest port?

yes, the world’s largest deep-water port is Gwadar Port. However, China’s Yangshan Deep Water Port is regarded as the largest deep-water port globally.