Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Mani Shankar Aiyar underlined the need to make the Iran-India pipeline through Pakistan a reality as early as possible to enhance India¿s energy security. He was speaking at the release function of an Observer Research Foundation book ¿India¿s Energy Security Prospects--which deals with the issue of India¿s energy security and the prospects for cooperation with its extended neighbourhood
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Mani Shankar Aiyar underlined the need to make the Iran-India pipeline through Pakistan a reality as early as possible to enhance India's energy security. He was speaking at the release function of an Observer Research Foundation book -India's Energy Security Prospects-organised at the ORF Campus in New Delhi on March 16, 2005.
Mr Aiyar said to realize this dream project, the countries concerned have to deal with the various issues and aspects connected with the pipeline project with understanding of each other's concerns and a mindset to solve the problems for the benefit of all.
Lauding ORF for initiating research projects on energy-related issues and problems, Mr Aiyar said India and Pakistan together offered one of the most attractive markets for energy in the world with a demand of nearly 200 million standard cubic metres.
He,however, predicted a rocky road ahead of the project. "The way is not going to be smooth. It will be very rocky," he noted. "But once the dream is realized, it is going to benefit all the countries in the region. For this, political perceptions in all the concerned countries will have to be dealt with first," he said.
The minister also talked about the need for Iran to fix a reasonable price for the petroleum products for India and Pakistan so that it was affordable for the countries. "Otherwise, we would be forced to look at other options," he said.
The book, "India's Energy Security : Prospects for Cooperation with Extended Neighbourhood" explores the broad framework of energy cooperation with India's Asian neighbours -- Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Iran.The book suggests that there is scope for India to also encourage its private sector to strengthen its search for energy security.
Authors-- Prof. S.D.Muni and Prof Girijesh Pant-- said they were very happy that the Minister himself had agreed with their views on the need for energy cooperation in India's extended neighbourhood. Prof. Muni, a well-known scholar, is Hony. Director, Research at ORF.
Dr. Najeeb Jung, Advisor, ORF Centre for Resources Management, said the pipeline project was no more a dream or possibility, but now a probability. He said it would succeed finally, today or tomorrow, whatever be the problems now.
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