Click to play videoNew Delhi: With more doubts encircling around the Iran-India gas pipeline proposal that transits from Pakistan, America has warned India ahead with it.
US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman says it is a bad idea. He conveyed the warning during a recent three-day visit to India.
The basis for Bodman's warning is well known- Iran's support for terror groups, and its nuclear programme.
However, a former Indian ambassador to Iran, M K Bhadrakumar says US objections have everything to do with its own geopolitical and commercial interests.
“They don't want the Iranian energy to be locked in by countries such as India and China till such time as they normalise their own relations with Iran and they are in a position also to tap the Iranian energy,” Bhadrakumar.
He also believes that India is not without leverage in this game. He says that India could use US concerns about Delhi striking a deal with Tehran to further its interests on the nuclear deal or in securing high-end technologies.
The fact that India has put off the decision on the pipeline until June, which is also the time when the Nuclear Deal is scheduled to be wrapped up. And it only suggests that Delhi is playing the game.
There is however, little doubt that the project is critical to India's long-term energy security.
Director General, Indian Council of World Affairs, Talmiz Ahmad who was closely involved in charting India's energy policy framework, believes that security concerns about the pipeline transiting Pakistan's insurgency ridden Baluchistan province, are being overemphasised.
“India needs the gas. Pakistan needs the gas. Iran has the gas. As simple as that,” he Ahmad says.
The technical details of the Iran India pipeline project are known and understood. The financial inputs are also involved.
All that needs to be worked out is what price India pays for gas when it flows across the border.
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