Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether India is likely to opt for Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline instead of Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) Pipeline under the pressure from America;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there was no mention of the IPI Pipeline during the discussion on energy security with the visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. PRENEET KAUR)

(a) & (b) To sustain our high growth rate and ensure energy security, India needs to tie up new sources of energy. With this objective in mind, Government is trying to ensure import of natural gas through trans-national pipelines which include the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline Project and the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) Gas Pipeline project. The TAPI Gas Pipeline Project involves construction of 1700 kms (approx.) pipeline from Turkmenistan’s South Yolotan-Osman field through Herat and Kandahar in Afghanistan to Multan in Pakistan and finally extending upto Pak-India border near Fazilka. After several rounds of negotiations, two agreements – Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement (GPFA) and Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) were signed during the TAPI Summit held on December 11, 2010. On the IPI Project, various important issues, i.e., pricing of gas, delivery point of gas, project structure, payment of transportation tariff and transit fee for passage of natural gas through Pakistan, security of supply, etc. are under discussion amongst the participating countries. No agreement relating to the Project has been signed so far.

(c) & (d) During the recent visit of the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to India, the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation and joint projects in the area of energy.
http://www.mea.gov.in/mystart.php?id=220218076

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