India has announced its participation in the development of Chabahar port of Iran. This port is just 76 km from Pakistan's Gwadar port which is operated by China. Prospects and consequences: 1. Afghanistan has a strategic position in Middle, South and East Asia - especially for India and Pakistan, and for China via Pakistan. Pakistan wants to have strategic control by providing its port facility of Gwadar as Afghanistan is a land-locked country. By giving China operating rights, Pakistan virtually made Afghanistan to submit to China. By participating in development of Chabahar port, India successfully tried to nullify Pakistan-China effort to solely utilize the strategic position of Afghanistan. a. It provided an alternative to Afghanistan to reach Arabian Sea. b. This way, India can strengthen its relation with Afghanistan. c. This also strengthens its relation with energy-rich Iran 2. China, by obtaining operating rights of Gwadar, strengthened its String of