... And Russia’s relations with Iran might play a role here.
The idea to build a gas pipeline across South Asia is nothing new. There is already the off-and-on Peace pipeline from Iran to Pakistan and further to India (known as IP Gas), as well as the TAPI gas pipeline (involving Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India). It should be noted that Iran and Turkmenistan, the gas producers for both projects, have already conducted the requisite work, and the relevant pipelines have already been laid. The problem is buyers and transit countries ...
... strengthened.
As for Turkmenistan’s relations with its neighbours, the most significant achievement was the construction of gas pipelines into China, as it reduced its dependence on exporting gas to Russia. However, other projects (in particular, the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India [TAPI] Pipeline and the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline) were never implemented. Under President Berdimuhamedow, relations with Russia remained virtually unchanged from Turkmenbashi’s time. No appreciable rapprochement took place.
From the point of view ...
... supportive of the pipeline project, bypassing both the Russian route and concurring with the Iran-Pakistan pipeline. In April 2012, disagreements between India and Afghanistan, and India and Pakistan on transit fees,
slowed down
the process again.
The
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India
Natural Gas pipeline (TAPI) is planned to be 1,814 km long, with 214 km running through Turkmenistan from
Galkynysh
— the gas field in Mary province estimated to be the second largest in the world— to Fazilka, in the Indian state of Punjab, 774 km running through ...