The Correct answer is Neither a nor b. • In May 2016, India, Iran, and Afghanistan signed the trilateral agreement which entailed the establishment of the Transit and Transport Corridor among them using Chabahar port in Iran as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation. • The first phase of the Chabahar Port was inaugurated in December 2017 by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Hence, statement (a) is correct. • Construction of a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, along the border with Afghanistan as an alternate trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, was also a part of it. • The state-owned Indian Railways Construction Ltd. (IRCON) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Iranian Rail Ministry to provide all services, superstructure work and financing (around USD 1.6 billion). • Chabahar Port is located in Sistan and Baluchestan province in the Southeastern part of Iran, on the Gulf of Oman. • In December 2018, India took over the operations of the Port. It was being operated by India Ports Global Private Limited (IPGPL). India’s first shipment of wheat to Afghanistan was sent through Chabahar Port. India began building a railway line between Chabahar port and Zahedan as part of the North-South Transport Corridor. Chabahar port is about 170 km away from Gwadar Port built in Pakistan by China. • India has taken over operations of the strategic Chabahar Port. This is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territory. Hence, statement (b) is correct. Related Concepts: