Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Aug.17 / Trend H.Hasanov /
India is an official member of the project on construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline. The major public and private companies displayed an interest in this project, Indian Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Mohammad Afzal told in an interview with the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper.
According to Afzal, the policy of Turkmen President, Guyurbangulu Berdimuhammedov, on diversification of energy routes and major international initiatives of the Turkmen leader, including the need for an international guarantee to stable transit of energy resources, which will ensure sustainable development of international cooperation, contributes to strengthening the interest.
Feasibility study of the TAPI project was developed by Penspen. Design capacity of the project is 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Pipeline's diameter is 56 inches (1,420 mm) with working pressure of 100 atmospheres. It is expected to construct six compressor stations from the Turkmen fields up to Fazilka (India) on the border of Pakistan and India, at the 1,680 kilometer route of the pipeline. The project is actively promoted by the Asian Development Bank.
Turkmenistan and India established diplomatic relations on April 20, 1992. India was one of the first countries recognizing independence of Turkmenistan and established diplomatic relations. "My country and its political leadership sought to develop friendly and mutually beneficial relations with Turkmenistan," the Indian diplomat said.
Several mutual visits at high level government delegations, including the visit of Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari to Turkmenistan in the spring of 2008, during which a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of oil and gas was signed, took place over last 17 years.
Prospects of cooperation between the two countries are also concentrated in the spheres such as education, textiles, pharmaceuticals, science.
Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at: [email protected]