NEW DELHI: He may have unilaterally suspended peace talks with Islamabad. And, he may be planning to stage a week-long ultra nationalist “carnival” next month to mark a 1965 war with Pakistan. Yet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hoping to revive the all but canned Turkmenistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline when he visits Central Asian countries this month.

The Hindu reported on Wednesday that Mr Modi’s visit to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan is expected to give an impetus to various energy and mining projects, including TAPI. 

In fact, according to the report, “the multi-billion dollar TAPI project could be off to a year-end start, as the legal framework is expected to be in place by September followed by the announcement of the consortium. TAPI will also be on the agenda for talks when Prime Minister Modi arrives in Turkmenistan.”

Turkmenistan ambassador Parakhat H. Durdyev said on Monday that developments related to the 1,078-mile pipeline that will transport natural gas off the Caspian Sea resort of Avaza to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan will be announced shortly.

“He ruled out delays from security concerns and said all the beneficiary countries are on the same page pushing for early implementation of the project,” The Hindu said.

Mr Durdyev said violence in Afghanistan has been considered a reason for the delay in the execution of works related to the pipeline with a capacity to carry 90 million metric standard cubic metres of gas, of which India and Pakistan will get 38 mmscmd of gas, while the remaining 14 mmscmd will be supplied to Afghanistan.

India and Ashgabat are also expected to sign deals on the setting up of a fertiliser factory in Turkmenistan, on urea and potash supply and transport and energy sectors.

Mr Modi’s visit to Kazakhstan is expected to give a fillip to the civil nuclear deal signed in 2009, to the proposed joint mining of uranium in Kazakhstan and to the Caspian Sea oil block drilling agreement, that India has 25 per cent stake in.

India and Kazakhstan could also be finalising agreements on mining, mineral and oil and gas projects, which include iron ore, coal and potash exploration, the paper said.

Tajikistan, where India has an air base, is looking to firm up ties with New Delhi on security, trade and investment during the Indian leader’s visit.

There has been no public evidence that Mr Modi has held quiet talks through diplomatic or any other indirect channel with Pakistan about his plans to broach the TAPI project during his visit to Central Asia.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2015

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