Pranab Mukherjee: TAPI demonstrates the intention of India to deepen its cooperation with Turkmenistan

The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee noted the mutual benefits of cooperation in TAPI gas line project (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) in his letter to Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

The letter is confined to 21 anniversary of Turkmen independency.

“I am glad to note our effective cooperation in TAPI aimed at the provision of energy safety in our countries as well as emphasize the intention of India to deepen the mutually beneficial relations with Turkmenistan”, is said in the letter.

In September Turkmenistan (the initiator of the project) led a series of TAPI road-shows with participation of Asian Bank of Development. Then Turkmen government spread the information that Chevron, Exxon Mobil, BP, BG Group, RWE and Petronas got acquainted with the main conditions of the project and agreed to take part in its realization.

TAPI is aimed at provision of long-term deliveries of more than 30 billion cubic metres of Turkmen gas to South-East Asia. Signing of an intergovernmental agreement in Ashkhabad at the end of 2010 is considered the start of realization of the project.

In May 2012 Turkmenistan signed a memorandum of understanding with transit through Afghanistan. At the same time the purchase contracts for Turkmen gas were signed with State Gas Systems of Pakistan and Indian GAIL ltd.

The Asian Bank of Development reported, after more than 20 years of complicated negotiations the 1,800 km gas line which would connect Turkmenistan with critically needy market of South Asia, had become one step closer to its implementation, which means “an unprecedented new chapter in the interregional relations”, trend.az reports.

Source: http://www.oilru.com/news/344315/

Translated by Alexandra Utyasheva