The Iran India gas pipeline via Pakistan - some questions

[echarcha]

All of you must have heard about the proposed gas pipeline from Iran all the way to India via Pakistan.

Well, it sounded to be a good project as India would receive gas directly from Iran. Pakistan too would get it.

I was reading about this topic recently and learnt that US is pressurising Pakistan to not go for this project. In return Pak will get help in setting up nuclear power plants.

So where does this leave India? Pakistan is geographically in a strategic place to disallow this pipline and shut out India.

Iran has now said that they will keep up nuclear program for power generation. US is relenting and asking Iran to buy nuclear fuel from USA. However, Iran refuses on the grounds that they dont want to depend on external sources for nuclear fuel and hence they will continue their fuel enrichment program. US cannot do much about this and Iran is on its way to make nuclear fuel.

I was wondering where is India in all this? Are we going to depend on this gas pipeline which may never materialise? Or are we going to make more nuclear power plants?

[padhu]

Chapai, we have 9 civilian nuclear reactors that are being built and today the parliament sanctioned another 4. They should all be up 2010. The reactors are mainly for power.

The reason we need the pipeline is becuase it will be a direct tap into crude oil which is needed by India desperately. With the price of crude going up, the pipe would have assured a long term flow of crude at prices way below the rates OPEC quotes.

The thing is that if Pakistan relents to US pressure then we will have to drop the deal all together as then there would be no safe haven for the pipe through pakistan since they have no stake in it. The initial research that was done was to run the pipe directly under the sea bed and it be just between India and Iran. However, that options was found to be too costly and not viable as no bank was willing to fund that project.

Its now a wait and watch game as to what Pakistan's next move will be and that ultimately make or break the deal.

[echarcha]

Do read this http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/oct/03rajeev.htm and lets discuss some more here.

[tantric_yogi]

Trust Pakistan with crucial supply of crude oil for India ... I dont like it.

[vakil sahib]

this is the US thinking about it's own best interests :up:
why should it care about india?
fukk india. :D