Probing a Sea option for Turkmen Gas

Abstract

There is both an element of continuity and change in the NDA-led Indian Government towards the Turkmen gas pipeline project. Continuity because during his recent visit to Turkmenistan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vociferously ‘pitched’ for a speedy realisation of the TAPI gas pipeline project and remarked that the stakeholders in the project must consider a ‘land-sea route’ option instead of an overland route which passes through Afghanistan and Pakistan [1]. And change because it is a major departure from the traditional discourse on the TAPI pipeline project which has always advocated an overland route passing through Pakistan. Several analysts within India had questioned the viability of an overland route passing through southern Afghanistan and northern Balochistan