TAPI gas pipeline talks in final stage: Pradhan

Negotiations are in the final stage to construct the proposed four-nation gas pipeline connecting Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI), which, when realised, would give India freedom from dependence on Gulf countries for natural gas, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.

Replying to a question, the Pradhan told the Lok Sabha that the government will also take a decision on a project to bring natural gas from Iran by a pipeline passing through Afghanistan and Pakistan.

India has been procuring crude oil from 25 countries and it was not correct to say that the country was over-dependent on West Asia for crude supplies, he added.

Up to December 2014 of the current fiscal, the country had imported Rs.581,111 crore worth of crude oil, Rs.59,085 crore worth of petroleum products and Rs.46,712 crore worth of liquefied natural gas (LNG), Pradhan said.

In 2013-14, India imported Rs.864,875 crore worth of crude oil, Rs.74,605 crore worth of petroleum products and Rs.51,699 crore worth of LNG.