India-Pakistan-Iran pipeline highly unlikely now, confirms Iranian envoy

Touted once as a 'Peace Pipeline' and a harbinger of regional connectivity, the famed tri-nation India-Pakistan-Iran (IPI) has been given a quiet burial. Soon after the international community decided to lift sanctions on Iran, it was hoped that the pipeline project, proposed to cover 1,620-miles (2700 km) from Iran's South Pars fields in the Persian Gulf to Pakistan's major cities of Karachi and Multan and then further to Delhi would be revived. But Iran's Ambassador to India Gholamreza Ansari here frankly admitted that there was no possibility of its revival, keeping in view opposition from vested interests.

"I think we should forget about the pipeline because the people who have invested in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in India… I don't think that they will allow any pipes to enter in a substantial way. They have invested so much in LNG… Americans are looking for the Indian market for the future," he said. He described the pipeline as unrealistic in the current circumstances, fearing that the United States would prevent its operationalisation."You can forget about the pipeline. The Americans will simply not allow this project to take off," he further added.

According to data available with the the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), as much as US$6.62 billion stands invested in LNG sector in India between 2000 and 2015. Ansari said that any talk of the pipeline will put an end to these investments. "So I don't think any pipelines can be a serious project," he said. Iran was also negotiating to build a $4.5 billion undersea gas pipeline to the Indian west coast to bypass Pakistan.

India had not taken part in the talks on the IPI gas pipeline since 2007, citing security and commercial concerns. But experts believe it was more because of New Delhi's engagements with the US on the issue of the nuclear deal. But on the other hand, the US is pushing India and Pakistan to implement the Tapi gas pipeline project, which would connect Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, while discouraging them from implementing the IPI gas pipeline project.

The Iranian envoy also strongly argued for Indian investments in Chabahar port, which would also facilitate petrochemical products to India as well as give it a window to Central Asia, Afghanistan and even to North Europe. But, he disagreed that with Chabahar, Tehran and New Delhi were undermining or creating competition to Gwadar port in Pakistan, which is coming up with Chinese support. He proposed that since they are just 72 km apart, they could be linked in the future. There is already speculation in the corridors of power that PM Narendra Modi will soon be visiting Tehran and will be even going to Chabahar to inaugurate a certain facility. But, the envoy refused to give any date for the visit.