"Iran is an important neighbouring country on the other side of Pakistan. Iran is a major source of energy. It is the only route to have access to Central Asia and Afghanistan. It is a very important Gulf nation. We cannot undermine our ties with it"
The India-Pakistan-Iran talks in Tehran, which began on September 24, was not attended by India, who said it will not attend the tri-nation meetings unless transit fee issue is resolved with Islamabad.
India and Pakistan will soon finalise the bilateral tariff and transit fee issues for the $7 billion Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project. Technical teams of both countries will meet in Islamabad during April 16-18 to firm up recommendations to be discussed by the petroleum ministers of Pakistan and India at their meeting in Islamabad on April 23.
India and Pakistan will seek third party certification of Iran's gas reserves before moving ahead on the $7.4-billion Iran-India-Pakistan pipeline, which is to meet the growing energy needs of both nations.
'If a 'two-front war' develops, Iron Brother may only turn out to be a drag on the PLA, since Pakistan is in no position to wage a war with India,' argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Stating that Pakistan can serve as a 'hub of economic activity' in the region by developing energy corridors, President Pervez Musharraf has offered to extend the proposed multi-billion-dollar Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline to China.\n\n
India on Friday expressed confidence that the work on the proposed $7-billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project would start by March next year as it is hopeful of finalising a transit fee agreement with Islamabad before that. India is confident of starting the 2775 km long IPI project by end of March 2008, M S Srinivasan, secretary, ministry of petroleum and natural gas, told reporters in Coimbatore.
Pakistan and Iran are close to finalising a gas purchase agreement for the $7.4 billion (About Rs 29,200 crore) IPI pipeline during technical talks in Islamabad, even as officials said India's decision not to take part in the talks did not mean it had pulled out of the trilateral project.
India's involvement in the port development was not strictly under the international sanctions that had been imposed on Iran.
Notwithstanding US reservations over the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the World Bank has described it as a win-win deal and expressed readiness to fund the $7 billion project.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may have used a mix of charm and roguish coercion to let India know that he expected the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline proposal to become a reality in 45 days. But India is in no hurry to take a decision, a top Cabinet minister in the United Progressive Alliance government said. The volatile political environment in Iran and Pakistan has as much weightage now and the UPA government is becoming more reluctant.
Exports of high-quality basmati rice from India grew by 22 per cent to $5.2 billion during April 2023-February 2024, amid robust demand, primarily from West Asia. According to data compiled by the commerce department, exports of basmati rice increased to 4.68 million metric tonnes (MMT) in April-February, from 4.1 MMT during the same period a year ago, registering a growth of 14 per cent.
India and Pakistan today began final round of discussions to resolve differences on the 7.4-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline before the three nations sign a deal next month.
Indian men rout Bangladesh, women outwit South Korea in kabaddi
Voicing "concern" over the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the United States has said that it was sharing its feelings with the two South Asian nations in a "constructive" manner and not in a "negative way".
In return, Pakistan will withdraw the case from the World Bank,says the South Asia Tribune.
Two projects in Iran, which India is to execute involving major financial commitments on its part, are of particular significance for Indian steel.
If things work out, it will be a great leap forward in the Indian-Iranian economic ties in the new phase of Iran's reintegration with the world market following the lifting of sanctions, says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired the 22nd SCO summit in Samarkand which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India went down to Iran by a solitary goal in their last group match of Asian Football Confederation qualifier in Tehran on Saturday night. Following the defeat, India finished fourth in Group B with four points.
Pakistan's demand for gas stands at 8 billion cubic feet while the current production is 4 billion cubic feet.
Petroleum Minister Murli Deora would visit Pakistan early next month to sort out differences over transit fee for the $7 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.
A step away from nuclear weapons being used in conflicts, warns Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Captain Pawan Sehrawat helped India inflict the first All-Out with two touch points and gave his side a 10-4 lead.
Iran on Friday pitched for a regional solution to the Afghan problem, saying countries like India and Pakistan can help in the reconciliation process in the war-torn nation.
Pakistan is once again becoming a frontline State in big-power rivalry. But this time around, Pakistan stands to gain out of its geography, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
President George W Bush on Saturday said US has no problem with India-Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline but with Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Despite being a neighbour, Pakistan has never accounted for more than 2 per cent of India's total exports, and its share in India's total imports is less than 1 per cent. On the other hand, bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh has increased five times.
India said on Tuesday it will meet Pakistan 'soon' to resolve issues such as transit fee that have stalled a trilateral agreement on the proposed multi-billion dollar gas pipeline originating from Iran. New Delhi first excused itself for a bilateral meeting with Pakistan and then boycotted the September trilateral meeting in Tehran, saying it first wanted to resolve the issue of transit fee payable to Islamabad for wheeling the gas through that country.
Men's team outclassed Thailand 63-26, the women's side prevailed 54-22 in two Group A matches
But it is less adventurous. It seems, at last, that in its eighth decade, Pakistan has settled into being a parliamentary democracy just like Bangladesh has and like we have always been, observes Aakar Patel.
CIDCA is headed by Luo Zhaohui, the former vice foreign minister and ex-ambassador to India.
"I give you the guarantee that Iran would never like any country to be a threat to any other country," Khatami said while addressing India Today Conclave 2007 on 'Challenges For The Brave New World.'
The framework agreement will be finalised by the end of the year.
"I hope that now when the talks are set to begin with India, so the project would be definitely be on agenda," Petroleum Minister Naurez Shakoor told reporters in Islamabad.
