India proposes international gas pipeline from Turkmenistan

27 April 2009

India has proposed an `international gas highway' from Turkmenistan to pump the fuel to needy consuming countries like India. India also offered to invest Rs8,000 crore in a 1-2 million tonne gas-based fertiliser plant in that country.

State-run oil and gas firms like GAIL India are also interested in setting up a mega petrochemicals plant in Turkmenistan, petroleum secretary RS Pandey said during a two-day visit to the gas-rich Central Asian country on 23-24 April.

Pandey's comments come amidst US calls for diversification of gas transport routes. Speaking at an international conference on energy transit security in Turkmenistan, US deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asian affairs George Krol pointed to an explosion at a Turkmenistan gas pipeline to drive home the point.

A blast in Turkmenistan had crippled Russian gas monopoly Gazprom's gas supplies to the western countries

India had, meanwhile, joined the Turkemenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan gas pipeline, although the countries have since not made ant concrete moves on the $7 billion project.

India's fresh proposals, however, are dependent on Turkemenistan making available feedstock of natural gas at competitive rates.