Construction of the Serhetabat-Herat section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in Turkmenistan. 

Attending a ceremonial opening event in Turkmenistan was Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund along with Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov joined via video.

The construction of this section of the pipeline is an important step toward creating sustainable energy infrastructure in the region, aimed at supplying gas from Turkmenistan to South Asia.

The TAPI pipeline is a large-scale project that envisions the transportation of natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan to India. 

Construction on the project, with an annual delivery capacity of 33 billion cubic meters, began in Turkmenistan on December 13, 2015. 

Turkmenistan is the primary supplier of gas and plays a key role in the development of the pipeline, aiming to diversify energy export routes and strengthen regional economic ties.

At the same time other large development projects were also inaugurated including the Turghondi port development project, which includes the construction of a railway line from Herat to Sanubar, and the construction of warehouses, facilities and the Noor-ul-Jihad substation.

“The important part of our policy is that we continue our cooperation with the people of Afghanistan in the economic, political and diplomatic fields” – Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov

Addressing officials at the launch, Akhund said: “Today is the day we have been waiting for, for years, and after passing through difficulties and hardships, the opening of these big projects has been realized.”

He said the launch of these projects represents the good ties between the two countries, which will continue to strengthen.

Serdar Berdimuhamedow also addressed officials present, via video, and said: “Friendly, brotherly and good neighborly relations between the two countries are developing and the implementation of these important projects is very important not only for the interests of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, but also for the benefit of the region.”

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said: “Today is a historic day for the two countries and a new page will be opened in the relations between the two countries.”

He added that the relations between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are historical, and there is good mutual respect, equality, brotherhood and good neighborliness between the two countries.

He said that the cooperation between the two countries in the fields of transportation, telecommunications, energy and other fields is beneficial for Afghanistan and is an example of true friendship and the opening of a new page between the two countries.

He said that: “The important part of our policy is that we continue our cooperation with the people of Afghanistan in the economic, political and diplomatic fields.”

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that the projects will have a positive impact on the economic development and growth of industry in Afghanistan, and that these projects will create jobs for about  12,000 Afghans.

He also said these projects will generate in total about $1 billion a year for Afghanistan. 

Once completed, the TAPI line will carry gas from Turkmenistan to India through Afghanistan and Pakistan. The line will stretch 1,821 km and Afghanistan will receive $400 million a year. 

TAPI pipeline

This pipeline was first proposed in 1997 during the Islamic Emirate’s previous rule. However, construction was delayed after the US overthrew the Islamic Emirate government in 2001.

Since returning to power three years ago, the Islamic Emirate has made the project one of their priorities.

The section of the pipeline in Afghanistan will extend for 816km and will pass through the provinces of Herat, Farah, Nimroz, Helmand and Kandahar.

The TAPI pipeline will have the capacity to transfer 33 billion cubic meters of gas annually to the three countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

According to the agreement in place with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan will purchase three billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan over the course of 30 years.

Twelve pressure pumps will be installed along the TAPI gas pipeline, five of which will be in Afghanistan.