E-Paper
Iran-Pak-India gas deal to be signed by June
The Govt said the final agreement for the ambitious $7.4 bn project will be signed at a meeting in Tehran.
The Union Government on Sunday said it expects to sign the final agreement for the ambitious $7.4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project by June this year at a ministerial meeting in Tehran.
"The Iranian deputy oil minister is visiting New Delhi tomorrow. Many issues related with the drafting of the agreement will be discussed in his meeting with the Union Petroleum minister," Petroleum secretary MS Srinivasan said.
He said technical experts from the three countries are meeting in the third week of May, for finalising a framework agreement on implementation of the gas pipeline project, which would be later signed at the ministerial meeting in Tehran.
Iranian deputy oil minister Mohammad Hadi Nejad Hosseinian, who is presently in Pakistan, held talks with Pakistani petroleum secretary Ahmad Waqar on the project on Saturday.
Hosseinian, who had asked Pakistan to push the project for an early implementation, discussed a pricing formula and technical details with the Pakistani representative.
About the implementation of project, Srinivasan said the Government expects to commence the project work within a span of six-nine months after the draft agreement is signed by all stakeholders.
The 2,670 km pipeline will cover around 1,115 km in Iran, 705 km in Pakistan and 850 km in India.
