Iran gas: China waits as India wavers

hina is emerging as a potential partner in the proposed multi-billion dollar, 2,700-kilometer gas pipeline originally intended to link Iran, Pakistan and India.

Washington, at odds with Iran because of its perceived pursuit of nuclear weapons, has been hostile to the US$7.5 billion IPI pipeline and has urged India, considered a new strategic South Asian ally, not to go ahead with the project.
China, always on the lookout for new energy sources, has conveyed to Pakistan it would be willing to import 1.05 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas per day if India opts out of the project, according to reports quoting officials in Islamabad.

Pakistan, which is smarting under Washington’s decision to offer

a nuclear-technology agreement to India but deny a similar deal to Pakistan, plans to import 2.2 bcf of gas a day from Iran through the pipeline.

Last month, a Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman said, “If there are prospects of China joining the IPI project with or without India, we will welcome it. Pakistan is committed to the pipeline because of its desire to achieve energy security.”

Asia Times