06 May 2013
Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has voiced New Delhi's willingness to reenter negotiations over a project that would have transferred Iranian gas to India via Pakistan.
The project, which was initially referred to as the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) or Peace Pipeline, was launched by Tehran and Islamabad after India abandoned negotiations in 2009, despite preliminary agreements with Iran and Pakistan, Press TV reported.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari officially inaugurated the final construction phase of the multibillion-dollar--now renamed--Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project on March 11, 2013.
On Saturday, Khurshid said India was ready to participate in the project. Khurshid made the announcement in a meeting with Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M. Veerappa Moily said in late March that his country is willing to join the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project, describing the project as 'beneficial' to New Delhi.
The Indian external affairs minister also expressed his country's readiness to invest in the development of the Iranian port of Chabahar.
The Hindustan Times quoted Khurshid on Sunday as saying that, "We are going ahead with the Chabahar project. The Cabinet has already cleared it."
Tehran and New Delhi are expected to sign an agreement to turn Iran's southern port city of Chabahar into a hub for the transit of Indian goods to Afghanistan.
The Indian minister also welcomed the construction of North-South Transport Corridor, which connects the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, ultimately stretching to St. Petersburg and North Europe via the Russian Federation.
Khurshid arrived in Tehran on Friday to attend the 17th meeting of Iran-India Economic Commission in the Iranian capital on May 3-5.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Khurshid signed four memoranda of understanding to expand bilateral cooperation.
During his stay in Iran, Khurshid inaugurated the Indian Culture Center in Tehran and held talks with the Indian community based in Iran.
Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has voiced New Delhi's willingness to reenter negotiations over a project that would have transferred Iranian gas to India via Pakistan.
The project, which was initially referred to as the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) or Peace Pipeline, was launched by Tehran and Islamabad after India abandoned negotiations in 2009, despite preliminary agreements with Iran and Pakistan, Press TV reported.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari officially inaugurated the final construction phase of the multibillion-dollar--now renamed--Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project on March 11, 2013.
On Saturday, Khurshid said India was ready to participate in the project. Khurshid made the announcement in a meeting with Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M. Veerappa Moily said in late March that his country is willing to join the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project, describing the project as 'beneficial' to New Delhi.
The Indian external affairs minister also expressed his country's readiness to invest in the development of the Iranian port of Chabahar.
The Hindustan Times quoted Khurshid on Sunday as saying that, "We are going ahead with the Chabahar project. The Cabinet has already cleared it."
Tehran and New Delhi are expected to sign an agreement to turn Iran's southern port city of Chabahar into a hub for the transit of Indian goods to Afghanistan.
The Indian minister also welcomed the construction of North-South Transport Corridor, which connects the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, ultimately stretching to St. Petersburg and North Europe via the Russian Federation.
Khurshid arrived in Tehran on Friday to attend the 17th meeting of Iran-India Economic Commission in the Iranian capital on May 3-5.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Khurshid signed four memoranda of understanding to expand bilateral cooperation.
During his stay in Iran, Khurshid inaugurated the Indian Culture Center in Tehran and held talks with the Indian community based in Iran.
© Iran Daily 2013
