Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated, with both countries conducting attacks on each other's facilities over the past six days. The US is working on a strategy to weaken Iran economically, so the attacks are directed at places that are economically important to Iran.
On Thursday evening, US President Donald Trump stated that Iran wishes to negotiate as attacks against it intensify. However, he specified that the shelling will only cease after Iran agrees to US terms.
The US is currently targeting areas of the Chabahar port. As a result of one of the attacks, a landmark maritime traffic control tower in the Chabahar port was reduced to ruins. According to the Iranian agency Fars News, the tower that monitored ships passing through Chabahar was destroyed by American strikes.
The Chabahar port is Tehran's main maritime gateway and does not pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Repeated attacks on the traffic control system here could cause disruptions in shipping. The economic damage from US attacks will also affect India, as India has significant investments in Iran, particularly in the Chabahar area.
India's investments in Iran are primarily related to strategic connectivity and infrastructure. For India, Iran is important as a route to access Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. Investments in the Chabahar port hold immense geopolitical significance for India, as they provide a direct route for trade with Central Asia and Russia via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
Investments can be divided into two main areas. Firstly, this is the development of the Chabahar port. This is India's largest and most strategically important project in Iran. India has expressed a willingness to invest $120 million (about 1000 crore rupees) in the development of the Shahid Beheshti terminal in the Chabahar port. The Indian government officially confirmed in parliament that these 400 crore rupees were fully approved during the 2025-26 fiscal year. Furthermore, India previously invested about $85 million to purchase heavy equipment, such as cranes and cargo handling machinery, for the development of Chabahar.
Secondly, there is the Chabahar-Zahidan railway project. India promised to provide services and financial assistance to connect the port to the Afghan border. This project was estimated at approximately $1.6 billion (about 13,000 crore rupees), but its pace of implementation has slowed down due to international sanctions.
Despite India's strategic investments in Iran, its major commercial ventures in recent years have been limited due to US sanctions and Middle East tensions. Previously, Iran was the third-largest oil supplier to India, but after US pressure in 2019, India almost stopped purchasing oil from Iran.
Bilateral trade between India and Iran has significantly decreased due to geopolitical changes and sanctions. Currently, the trade volume fluctuates between $1.6 and $1.7 billion (approximately 13,000–14,000 crore rupees). Before 2019, when India imported large volumes of crude oil from Iran, this trade exceeded $15 billion (or 1.25 lakh crore rupees). After almost completely halting oil imports under US pressure, this figure dropped by 90%.
India exports more goods to Iran, sending about $1.24 billion annually. The basis of this export consists of basmati and non-basmati rice, accounting for about $700 million of exports. Tea, coffee, sugar, spices, medicines, organic chemicals, and light machinery are also exported.
India's imports from Iran have significantly decreased, amounting to about $0.44 billion annually. Among the imported goods are dried fruits, dates, almonds, and fresh fruits, as well as organic and inorganic chemicals, glass products, and some bituminous minerals.
The threat of an additional 25% tariff for countries trading with Iran, following President Donald Trump's announcement, has complicated the situation for Indian exporters. Although the Chabahar port project is strategically important for India and is immune to sanctions, which provides it with a route to Central Asia, US attacks on the port could lead to economic damage for India.
India has extended cooperation with an influential American lobbying company. According to data published under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, this firm belongs to a supporter of President Trump.
The contract between the Indian Embassy and SHW Partners LLC was signed on April 24th of this year and will be valid until April 23, 2027. India will pay $150,000 monthly for the services of this lobbying firm, amounting to total expenses of $1.8 million per year.
The company was engaged by the Indian Embassy following the Palgam terror attack on April 22 last year. The lobbying firm provides consultations to the Indian government on strategic issues, assists in tactical planning, and represents the position of the Indian government before US authorities.
An analysis of SHW's activities showed that at least a dozen phone calls took place between January 25 and February 2 of this year between Jason Miller and officials of the Trump administration. Among these officials were Jameson Greer, a representative of the US Chamber of Commerce; Scott Bassett, Secretary of the Treasury; Howard Latnick, Secretary of Commerce; and Susie Wiles, Trump's Chief of Staff.
Following a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump on February 2, the development of a framework for a temporary bilateral trade agreement between India and the US was announced.
Information about negotiations conducted by India between November 2025 and April of this year indicates regular phone conversations with Greer and Bassett. These officials dealt with trade issues and Ministry of Finance matters, particularly considering the issue of exemption from sanctions on crude oil purchases from Russia.
Furthermore, in March and April, Miller communicated five times with Francis Brook, the acting Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the Treasury Department, and from November to December 2025, he met three times with the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor.
Before the 2024 elections, Miller worked as a consultant in Trump's unsuccessful attempt to run for president in 2020, and he served as Trump's chief press secretary in 2016. Previously, he worked on Senator Ted Cruz's campaign during the presidential election.
In the US, lobbying is a legal activity, and all agents are required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and provide necessary information according to the law.
SHW Partners LLC is an influential firm specializing in lobbying and public affairs in the US. It was founded by Jason Miller, a political strategist close to Trump. The firm helps companies, organizations, and foreign governments convey their positions to the US administration, Congress, and policymakers.
In recent years, SHW Partners has frequently been mentioned in the context of India. The Indian Embassy hired this firm to effectively convey its interests and political priorities to the US administration. According to documents registered under the American FARA law, the firm played a role in coordinating meetings between India and US officials, as well as promoting dialogue on trade and strategic issues.
