Mr Murli Deora petroleum and gas minister of India has denied reports that New Delhi has quit plans to build a gas pipeline with Iran and Pakistan.

Mr Deora said that “With Iran the question is still open but because of the political situation in Pakistan just now there is a little bit of a stop on that. He had met the relevant Pakistani ministers but they have not written to us. They met us.”

Mr Murli Deora’s statement comes after Mr Muhammad Bux Abbasi Pakistani Ambassador to Iran was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying that India is out of the pipeline deal. The 2,775 kilometers pipeline is expected to deliver 30 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to Pakistan a quantity that is later expected to double.

Ms Marie Lall South Asia specialist at the University of London said that energy imperatives drive Indian foreign policy, since its economic growth would come to a halt if India’s energy needs were not fulfilled. She said that Iran, Pakistan and India pipeline was crucial for India, since its energy needs were huge and Iran had large deposits of gas. You have to understand that the energy drive of India is central.

The professor said that India needs regional peace for acquiring gas and fulfilling its energy needs. She said that India’s need for gas was greater than its need for nuclear energy and argued that if Pakistan turns off its gas, India would turn off water in retaliation. India sees Myanmar as a land bridge, since the latter happens to be one of the most important South East Asian countries in terms of gas.

She added that good relations between India and Myanmar could also help India in rooting out tribal insurgency.

(Sourced from Iran daily.com)