Gas Pipeline From Iran to Save Millions for India, Pakistan
December 17, 1998 - 0:0
NEW DELHI If India and Pakistan jointly import natural gas through the proposed pipeline from Iran they would be able to save $700-800 million each annually, says Dr. Taufiq A. Siddiqui, an expert of energy and environmental issues of global repute. "Substract the amount India and Pakistan will be spending in importing natural gas through the proposed pipeline from the amount the two countries will be spending in importing liquefied natural gas, they will save $700-800 million each annually," said Dr. Siddiqui to IRNA yesterday.
An American citizen born in India and brought up in Pakistan, Dr. Siddiqui is the Director of Institute of Energy and Environment at Honolulu, Hawai, USA. He is in New Delhi to attend an international conference. India and Pakistan should not let their political differences mar the $2.4 billion Indo-Pak-Iran gas pipeline project, said the expert. "They stand to benefit enormously if they jointly import natural gas from any of the sources in Iran, Central Asia and Persian Gulf", added Dr. Siddiqui. He rejected the widely-prevalent Indian apprehension that Paksitan could stop the supply of Iranian gas to India on some political pretext or the other.
Instead, Dr. Siddiqui felt that such a possibility was hardly likely. "India and Pakistan have stuck to the Indus water agreement for over 30 years despite intermittent tensions", he said. "Besides, there are other safeguards to prevent this from happening," said he, adding, "for instance, India, Pakistan and Iran may enter a "take or pay" agreement. He explained: "if Pakistan switches the pipeline off to prevent India from getting natural gas from Iran, it (Pakistan) would have to pay for the entire quantity".
Initiated more than five years ago, the $2.4 billion Indo-Iran gas pipeline project is still far from being materialized, partly due to absence of financial commitments by global institutions and partly due to Indo-Pak differences over the route of the 2000-km-long pipeline. According to an estimate, the pipeline can pump in gas enough to meet 40 percent of India's prospective domestic consumption.
(IRNA)
An American citizen born in India and brought up in Pakistan, Dr. Siddiqui is the Director of Institute of Energy and Environment at Honolulu, Hawai, USA. He is in New Delhi to attend an international conference. India and Pakistan should not let their political differences mar the $2.4 billion Indo-Pak-Iran gas pipeline project, said the expert. "They stand to benefit enormously if they jointly import natural gas from any of the sources in Iran, Central Asia and Persian Gulf", added Dr. Siddiqui. He rejected the widely-prevalent Indian apprehension that Paksitan could stop the supply of Iranian gas to India on some political pretext or the other.
Instead, Dr. Siddiqui felt that such a possibility was hardly likely. "India and Pakistan have stuck to the Indus water agreement for over 30 years despite intermittent tensions", he said. "Besides, there are other safeguards to prevent this from happening," said he, adding, "for instance, India, Pakistan and Iran may enter a "take or pay" agreement. He explained: "if Pakistan switches the pipeline off to prevent India from getting natural gas from Iran, it (Pakistan) would have to pay for the entire quantity".
Initiated more than five years ago, the $2.4 billion Indo-Iran gas pipeline project is still far from being materialized, partly due to absence of financial commitments by global institutions and partly due to Indo-Pak differences over the route of the 2000-km-long pipeline. According to an estimate, the pipeline can pump in gas enough to meet 40 percent of India's prospective domestic consumption.
(IRNA)