India has confirmed its participation in technical-level talks on multi-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, scheduled here from May 22-24. An official source told Business Recorder on Thursday that Indian technical team would reach Islamabad via Lahore on May 21.
He said India''s participation in technical group meeting would be of extraordinary importance for Islamabad and Tehran as well as indicate New Delhi''s interest to join tripartite gas line project.
Iran and Pakistan had invited India to become party to the project at an early stage and its initial response was also positive. However, US-Iran stand-off on nuclear issue changed the situation altogether. The US administration is strongly opposing the project and want India and Pakistan to go for other options such as TAP and Pak-Qatar gas pipeline for import of gas to meet their growing demand.
It may be noted that after detailed discussion at the steering committee level, the parties to the project had constituted various groups some time back and technical group was one of them.
The group will have threadbare discussion on technical aspects of the project and submit its recommendations to the steering committee.
Technical issues included route for the pipeline, commercial value of the project, gas pricing formula and a backup system to ensure smooth supply to the buyers in the case of any disruption. Sources said that the technical group will also discuss a time-frame to complete the project.
Indian participation will also dispel the impression that New Delhi was least interested in the project in the wake of US pressure and at the same time encourage would Pakistan and Iran to take-up this roughly $7 billion project on priority basis.
Iran and Pakistan had held ministerial level two-day talks last month and resolved to go ahead with IPI project without taking into account the US policy on the project.
The energy ministers of the two countries had vowed to strictly follow the schedule to make the gas line a reality. The two sides had also set the deadline of June 30, for New Delhi''s participation.
The sources said Pakistan and Iran will like to have a clear ''yes or no'' from India to finalise strategy for the project.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.