Indian Petroleum Minister Murli Deora will begin talks with his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif on the issue of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project on Wednesday. Besides attending the four-nation meeting, Deora will also hold talk with Pakistan on Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) Gas pipeline project on April 25.
Deora yesterday reached Islamabad for the first time after the formation of new democratic government in Pakistan. In his three-day visit, he will sign the proposed TAPI project in a two-day meeting while solve the differences with Pakistan over transportation tariff and transit fee of approved IPI gas pipeline project on April 25.
All four-nation involved will sign the Project Heads of Agreement and also ink a Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement for the pipeline. Earlier, India was not interested in this project, but later decided to join the US backed project with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan seeking solutions to its energy security.
On Iran-India pipeline project the United States has expressed its discontent by quoting, “Iran can use the earning revenue from this project for its nuclear expansion program”, while US is looking for massive revenue from TAPI project and willing to use it to augment its energy program.
The Asian Development Bank has convened this meeting in Islamabad who is the sponsor of this 1,680-km long pipeline project of worth USD3.5-billion.
Turkmenistan claims that it has a gas reserve of 159-trillion cubic feet in its Dauletabad fields. As per proposal Pakistan would transport 100 million standard cubic meters per day of gas through 1,680-km pipeline. The pipeline begins from Turkmenistan and reached to Fazilka, the Indian town near the border of Pakistan via passing through Kandhar (Afghanistan) and Multan (Pakistan).
India will share the 60 million standard cubic meters per day of gas in total transported gas pool.
Prior to Wednesday (April 23) meeting the technical team of all four nations has paved the way of a top ministerial level meeting by sorting out all the technical aspects.
This TAPI project is expected to complete by 2011-12.
On the other hand, in IPI gas pipe line issue, Pakistan is not ready to share the gas to India in less then $0.493 million per British thermal unit as transit fee, while India is offering $0.15 million per unit or $60 million a year.
“The bargaining has been narrowed but yet to be solved,” said Deora before leaving the capital on Tuesday. “We are going to Islamabad to resolve the difference,” he said.
Earlier India has been boycotting talks on IPI project since mid-2007 as it first wanted to resolve the issue of transit fee of this project which India would pay to Pakistan for allowing to pass the gas through its region. The 2775-km pipeline would take four-five year in completion with estimated USD7-billion.
"A trilateral meeting between India, Iran and Pakistan could be held after my bilateral meeting, but it has not yet finalised. It will depend on the outcome of the bilateral talks," Deora said in New Delhi on Tuesday.
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