Extension of the Russia-China gas pipeline till the border with India was among the issues discussed by Russian and Indian leadership during Russian Vice-Premier Dmitry Rogozin’s visit to New Delhi. The two sides made a decision to continue the discussion, an official at the Indian government told ITAR-TASS on Tuesday.
In his words, the parties agree to continue discussing this matter; however, the project is rather complicated from the viewpoint of logistics.
According to Financial Express’ earlier reports, India plans to discuss grounds for the pipeline extension at the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit due in Brazil in July. The new government of India plans to diversify resources of oil and gas supplies.
Moreover, the sides still continue discussing the idea to build an oil pipeline from Russia to India, the source said. The idea was initialed by India’s biggest petroleum corporation ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation). Earlier, ONGC Vice-President M.K. Nair told ITAR-TASS, “The pipeline may run via Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
In a joint statement adopted upon the results of the 14th Russian-Indian Summit, Further Deepening of Strategic Partnership in the Interests of Peace and Stability In the World, in Moscow in October 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stressed that the two sides agreed to analyze the possibility of direct ground-based transportation of hydrocarbons from Russia to India and decided to set up a joint research group for the goal.