NEW DELHI (IRNA) -- Indian petroleum secretary will lead the Indian delegation for tripartite talks on Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project to be held in Tehran this week.

The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Murli Deora, informed the Parliamentary Consultative Committee (PCC) attached to his ministry that a tripartite official level meeting is being held in Tehran from March 13-15 on IPI gas pipeline project.

Chairing the PCC meeting here last evening, Shri Deora said the Indian delegation will be led by petroleum secretary.

He added as domestic availability of gas is not adequate to meet the country's demand, gas imports are being pursued both as liquefied natural gas (LNG) and through transnational pipelines.

Shri Deora recalled that a tripartite meeting of technical teams was held in Delhi in January 2006 to discuss project parameters.

The progress of the 2,000-km IPI pipeline project was reviewed at a ministerial-level meeting between Shri Murli Deora and his Pakistan counterpart Amanullah Khan Jadoon on February 17, when the latter visited Delhi.

Secretary-level JWGs have been set up separately with Iran and Pakistan to finalize details of the project.

The issues under discussion include gas pricing, project structure and, Tripartite Framework Agreement.

The meeting was also attended by Shri Dinsha Patel, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, and Shri M S Srinivasan, secretary of Petroleum and Natural Gas (P&NG) along with senior officers of the Ministry and Oil PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings).