Question Details

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. US president Donald trump has landed a triple whammy on India by torpedoing the H-1B visa programme, days after revoking sanctions waiver on Chabahar port in Iran and weeks after imposing a 50% tariff on Indian exports to the US. The White House also maintained a conspicuous silence on the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia mutual defence treaty amid reports that neither country informed Washington of the pact, suggesting a growing US indifference to India’s concerns.


The triple blow has shaken US-India ties to the foundation, mystifying experts who expected a reset after an exchange of friendly messages between Modi and Trump. While some observers see in the crackdown on H-1B a pressure tactic to make India bend on the trade deal, sources familiar with the dynamics of the current White House say the two issues are unrelated and Trump was convinced of the need to ”reform” the guest worker visa programme ever since MAGA hardliners persuaded him that American workers were being gamed out of jobs by foreign companies and US big tech acting in tandem. (174 words) [Extracted from the newspaper, The Times of India, September 21, 2025]


What is the strategic significance of Chabahar Port for India?

Options

A

Provides trade access to China through Pakistan

B

Acts as counterbalance to China’s presence in nearby Gwadar Port, Pakistan

C

Serves as the primary naval base for India

D

Connects India directly to the Mediterranean Sea

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option B

Acts as counterbalance to China’s presence in nearby Gwadar Port, Pakistan

Solution :

Correct Answer: Acts as counterbalance to China’s presence in nearby Gwadar Port, Pakistan


Explanation:

The passage mentions that revoking the sanctions waiver on Chabahar port in Iran is one of the significant actions affecting Indian interests and US-India relations. Strategically, Chabahar Port located in southeastern Iran provides India with direct access to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan.


More importantly, Chabahar Port acts as a strategic counterbalance to China’s footprint in the region, specifically its involvement in the nearby Gwadar Port in Pakistan (developed as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, CPEC). Therefore, option 2 correctly identifies the key strategic significance of Chabahar Port for India.

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