Question : INDIA-TURKMENISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN-GAS PIPELINE

(a) whether Pakistan has assured the members of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan- Pakistan and India gas pipeline project that has both the experience and resource to safeguard the network within its region;

(b) if so, whether this project has seen as one of the national importance as Pakistan also needs gas as much as India;

(c) if so, whether security concerns were expressed by India about the 800 km. stretch of the over 1680 km. pipeline network that will fall in Pakistan;

(d) if so, the extent to which these concerns have been removed;

(e) whether Asian Development Bank has agreed to be the leading partner of the project; and

(f) if so, the details thereof ?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI R.P.N. SINGH)

(a) to (d): India has expressed concerns regarding safety and security of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline during Project related discussions. All the countries participating in the Project, including Pakistan, have guaranteed safety and security of pipeline passing through their respective territories in the Inter-Governmental Agreement(IGA) signed between all the participating countries in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on December 10,2010. In the said IGA, Pakistan has also agreed to provide uninterrupted transit of natural gas from Turkmenistan. During discussions, Pakistan has indicated that it has a pressing requirement of natural gas and, hence, it attaches great significance to the Project on account of its energy security. Contractual agreements relating to the Project are being negotiated, wherein the issue of safeguards for ensuring security of supplies to India would be further addressed.

(e) & (f): Asian Development Bank (ADB) is facilitating the Project.