ON BOARD THE SPECIAL AIRCRAFT : India is optimistic that the much-delayed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project will finally see light of the day.
Vice-President Hamid Ansari, who along with Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was present at yesterday’s ground breaking ceremony, starting the welding process of the estimated 10 billion US Dollar gas pipeline project at Mary, in the Central Asian republic of Turkmenistan, expressed faith in the smooth completion of the project, saying that the Turkmenistan side was ”very keen” to ensure its execution.
“TAPI has been on for some time — we took the decision (to partner the project) in 2008. If the project goes through it will be a great thing,” he told newspersons accompanying the Indian delegation. Referring to apprehensions about a possible Taliban strike, he admitted, ”there are misguided elements everywhere. But the Turkmenistan President says it can be done, I believe it can be done.”
On his interaction with Mr Sharif, Dr Ansari said the meeting was ”very cordial”. India-Pak relations were ”on the right track, I think,” he said. The TAPI project would allow for revival of the old trade route between India and Central Asia ”which had been sealed off by the British centuries ago”, he added.
He recalled that he had come on a bilateral visit in that year to the Central Asian region with which India has traditionally enjoyed strong trade ties. ”The distance to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan is less than to Thiruvananthapuram,” Dr Ansari pointed out referring to the little more than three hour distance between New Delhi and Turkmenistan capital. (AGENCIES)
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