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India keen on Afghan link



By Upstream staff 

India is keen to receive gas from Turkmenistan via a planned pipeline and is also considering investments in gas and oil producer Qatar, the country's Oil Minister Murli Deora said today.

Deora said he was is interested in joining Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in building the link.

"India is very interested in becoming formal partner. I am not sure if now is the right time because of the elections (in Pakistan)," he told Reuters.

The idea of building a multi-billion dollar pipeline through Afghanistan has been floating for more than a decade, but conflict has hampered efforts to get it off the ground.

The project aims to export gas to Pakistan and India, both also talking to Iran on the possibility of a similar deal. Deora said this project will not affect a possible Iran link.

"Joining this project will have no effect on India's plan to participate in Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project," he said.

Deora, who was speaking at an energy conference in the Qatari capital, also said Indian companies were interested in taking equity stakes in Qatar's energy projects.

"We are looking at building plants in Qatar, and in other heavy industries," he said.


Monday, 29 October, 2007, 10:02 GMT  | last updated: Monday, 29 October, 2007, 10:03 GMT

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