Afghanistan announces start of TAPI gas pipeline project

KABUL: The unrecognised Taliban government in Afghanistan announced the commencement of work on the $10 billion Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI) natural gas pipeline project on Thursday.

The project has faced numerous delays due to the ongoing security concerns in the region.

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The announcement follows the completion of the Turkmenistan section of the pipeline. The TAPI pipeline aims to transport natural gas from the Central Asian country through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India. It spans a region approximately 1,800 kilometres long.

The Afghan Taliban government spokesperson Zahibullah Majuhid confirmed in an interview with the Afghan state television that construction will begin on Afghan territory. The Afghan section of the TAPI pipeline project is designed to transport 33 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually from the Gulkanish gas field in the southeastern Turkmenistan.

During a border ceremony as Aslam Chashma in Turkmenistan, Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund and Turkmen officials talked about the project’s significance.

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Turkmenistan‘s President Sardar Bardi Muhammadu stated via live broadcast that the TAPI project would not only bolster the economics of the participating nations but also benefit the broader region.

In recognition of the project’s importance, a public holiday was declared in Afghanistan’s Herat province. Promotional posters talking about the pipeline project were hung throughout the region.

The pipeline will traverse Afghanistan, enter Pakistan’s Balochistan province after passing through Herat and Kandahar, before reaching the Fazilka region in Indian Punjab.

According to Afghan media reports, Pakistan and India are set to purchase 42 per cent of the gas delv9iered through the pipeline. Meanwhile, Afghanistan will acquire 16 per cent. The Afghan Taliban government expects earnings of about $500 million annually in transit fees from the project.

Work on the Turkmen side of the pipeline project began in 2015, with initial plans for the construction in Afghanistan slated for 2018. However, the project faced repeated setbacks.

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Mujahid noted the TAPI project is expected to create around 12,000 jobs in Afghanistan alone. This will help address unemployment in the country. It also marks a significant development initiative for the Taliban authorities since their take over in 2021.