Q. 1748 Termination of IPI gas

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to satate :-

(a) whether the India-Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project has been terminated;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the current status of negotiations;
(d) whether the project has not materialised due to pricing issues;
(e) if so, the details thereof;
(f) whether there are other reasons for which the projects has not materialised; and
(g) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER:THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)

(a) to (g) Purchase of natural gas from Iran through a pipeline has been discussed during the various bilateral meetings including in the last meeting of the Joint Working Group on Cooperation in the Hydrocarbon sector held in Tehran on 19 – 20 December, 2010. Among the issues that have been focussed upon with respect to the pipeline project are those relating to pricing, transit fee and transportation tariff, point of delivery, project structure and security of the pipeline. Such multilateral projects involve protracted discussions, as all the aspects have to be carefully examined and deliberated upon to the satisfaction of the participating countries to protect each country’s interests and to avoid any problems in the future in the successful operation of the project.
http://164.100.47.4/newrsquestion/ShowQn.aspx.