Question : TAPI PIPELINES PROJECT

(a) Whether India has agreed to be a part of the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India pipeline project (TAPI);

(b) the salient decisions which were taken at the TAPI Steering Committee meeting of energy ministers at Ashgabat on 20th Sept. 2010;

(c) whether there is a decision to rope in a global energy major to execute and manage the pipeline project;

(d) whether India is optimistic that Afghanistan and Pakistan would be able to secure the proposed pipeline;

(e) the measures that have been agreed to guarantee security of supplies to India; and

(f) when security was the main issue concerning the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project, how did India agreed to the TAPI project without a full fledged security audit?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a): Yes, Madam. India has been officially admitted as a member of the Project during 10th Steering Committee Meeting (SCM) held in April 2008.

(b): During the 11th SCM of the Project held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on September 20, 2010, Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement (GPFA) was initialled by the Ministers of the countries participating in the Project, including India. Further discussions were held on important issues concerning the Project. Time schedule for finalization and signing of the agreements relating to the Project was also decided.

(c): The project would be executed by a Consortium to be selected by all the partners.

(d) to (f): All the participating countries have agreed to guarantee safety and security of pipeline passing through their territories. Further, adequate safeguards would be built in contractual agreements to ensure security of supplies to India.