On January 22, 2009, Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Afghan President Hamid Karzai inaugurated a new Indian-built road in Western Afghanistan. The Delaram-Zaranj highway was built six months ahead of schedule, by the Border Roads Organisation. 

The Delaram-Zaranj road extends from Zaranj on the Iranian border to the main road between the cities of Herat, Kandahar and Kabul. The 200km (124-mile) highway, an $85-million project has been totally funded by India. The road links with a route to the coast, near Iran. The Delaram-Zaranj road is expected to help India to export products to Afghanistan through Iran by sea from the Iranian port of Chahbahar.

The 220-km road is another example of India’s $1.1-billion effort to help in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

With tensions between India and Pakistan escalating, one isn’t oblivious of the fact that India has been denied access through Pakistan. The new road will challenge Pakistan’s hold on trade routes in the region.

Pranab Mukherjee has said in a statement, referring to the terror attacks in Mumbai on November 2008, “This project symbolizes the strong determination of the government and people of these two countries that they will not succumb to the pressure of the forces of terror.”

However there is a lamentable fact linked to the construction of the Delaram-Zaranj road. Eleven Indian workers, 126 Afghan police and and soldiers, who were providing security to the road, lost their lives during the construction of this road running from Delaram in Nimroz to Zaranj on the Iranian border. Reports said that casualties were caused by Taliban attacks.

Pranab Mukherjee was quoted as saying, “In fact, for the construction of (every) 1.5 km (1 mile) of road, one human life was sacrificed.”

“The completion of the road reflects the determination of both India and Afghanistan that nothing can prevent or hinder collaboration between the two countries,” Mr. Mukherjee was quoted as saying.

Mr. Karzai also emphasised that the completion of the Delaram-Zaranj project was a message to those who want to stop cooperation between India and Afghanistan, reports said. 

This project is expected to help develop political and economic relations with other Asian countries too.