Moily offers Indian participation in Iraqi oil and gas projects

India has offered participation of Indian companies with expertise in areas such as refineries, petrochemicals and fertilisers in the various projects that are coming up in Iraq.

Union minister of petroleum and natural gas M Veerappa Moily, who is in Iraq to attend the 17th meeting of the India-Iraq Joint Commission scheduled for 7-8th July 2013, made the offer to Iraqi leaders at a bilateral meeting today.

During his meeting with Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki, Moily said Indian companies have the expertise to participate in many projects that were coming up in Iraq, especially in areas such as refineries, petrochemicals, fertilisers etc. He also conveyed India's willingness to participate in gas-based projects and for import of LNG from Iraq.

Besides, he said, India could share its knowledge and expertise in areas like agriculture, infrastructure technology, pharmaceuticals, etc.

The Iraqi prime minister is expected to visit New Delhi in September this year.

Iraq is the second largest supplier of crude oil to India and there is a need for further strengthening the relationship between the two countries by increasing economic cooperation, Moily said.

 The Iraqi PM also expressed great interest in Indian participation in sectors connected with oil and gas, especially petrochemicals, refineries and fertilisers and called for an early start to cooperation in these sectors. 

Later, Moily along with the delegation held detailed discussions with Iraqi deputy prime minister Dr Saleh al-Mutlaq on cooperation and possibilities in the oil and gas sector as also other sectors such as steel, railways, etc. 

The Iraqi deputy PM also hosted a lunch in honour of the visiting Indian minister. 

India offered to work with Iraqi public sector undertaking in order to exchange ideas and expertise that could help them in becoming more efficient and profitable. It also offered to train Iraqi personnel in oil and gas sector in the training institutes in India.