ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, Feb. 1
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
Turkmen Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting with Indian ambassador to Turkmenistan Azar Abul Hassan Khan, Trend reports referring to the ministry.
The role of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, which will serve as a bridge connecting Central and South Asia, was noted at the meeting.
The parties also spoke about the expansion of partnership in the economy, transport, the agricultural sector, the chemical industry and in the field of information and communication technologies.
The construction of the Turkmen section of the TAPI pipeline was launched in December 2015. The design capacity of the pipeline may reach 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The pipeline will pass through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandahar (816 kilometers), through the cities of Quetta and Multan across Pakistani territory (819 kilometers), and reach the city of Fazilka in India.
The construction of the Afghan section of the pipeline was initiated in February 2018, while the construction of the Pakistani section is planned to be launched in 2020.
The Turkmengas State Concern is the leader of the TAPI Pipeline Company Ltd. international consortium. It acts as the main financier and manager of the project. The consortium also includes Afghan Gas Corporation, Pakistan’s Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Limited Company and India’s GAIL Company.