08 August 2016
Tehran - Iran will export gas to India through world's biggest undersea pipeline due to be laid by India and European states, Managing Director of National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) Ali-Reza Kameli said on Monday.

The Indian partner said that feasibility studies have been carried out in partnership with the European countries.

Over the past 10 years, major investment was made by the Islamic Republic of Iran to lay pipeline via Pakistan to India, the so-called peace pipeline, but, due to political problems New Delhi had with Islamabad such a project left abortive.

To cut dependence on Pakistan for gas supply, Indians have announced that the pipeline for export of Iranian gas to the country should cross the seabed and if the idea is met, the pipeline will be the biggest undersea pipeline.

Kameli said that an Indian company will finance the project, which is about 1,400 km long and in certain parts, it is 3,500 meters deep.

The 4.5 billion dollars pipeline will take natural gas from southern Iran via Oman Sea and Indian Ocean to Gujarat state, western India.

The pipeline will carry 31.5 million standard cubic meters gas per day.

The pipeline is planned to be built within two years following the necessary approvals and after a gas sale and purchase agreement (GSPA) is signed.

Iran has already been in talks with New Delhi-based South Asia Gas Enterprise Pvt Ltd (SAGE) for building the 1,400-kilometer pipeline.

© IRNA 2016