TAPI Gas Pipeline
Indianexpress.com
India will join the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan pipeline (TAPI). Asian Development Bank, the project sponsor, will present a comprehensive agreement on TAPI to the four countries for signing next month, The Indian Express reported today.
TAPI will replace Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) proposed pipeline. India boycotted a critical meeting in Tehran earlier this month to sign the IPI agreement. India’s decision to choose TAPI over IPI will be a major defeat for the Iranians.
The officials from Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India will meet on November 28-29 in Islamabad to formalize the agreements on TAPI.
Over the next 30 years, Turkmenistan will provide 34.26 trillion cubic feet of gas from its Dowlatabad fields to meet Pakistan's need of 16.95 TCF, and India and Afghanistan's joint demand of 17.31 TCF.
So we will have a pipeline crossing geologically and politically unstable Afghanistan,a land in the midst of civil war. Whatever Afghan faction--perhaps the Taleban?--ends up gaining control of that country, if any does, will gain some potential influence. And if the pipeline happens to get built before the civil war ends, which army will guard it? Civil war, oil, rising illegal narcotics exports...Does this remind anyone of Colombia's endless conflict?
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