During a working visit to Afghanistan on December 15, Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov, met with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to review the progress of major energy, transport, and infrastructure projects involving Turkmenistan in Afghanistan, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry reported.
The ministers inspected the ongoing construction of the Afghan section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline and agreed to accelerate its implementation, according to TOLOnews.
Turkmenistan has already completed its section of the TAPI pipeline, designed to transport 33 billion cubic meters of Turkmen natural gas annually to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
The $10 billion TAPI project will span 1,814 kilometers, with 816 kilometers crossing Afghanistan. The pipeline will help meet Afghanistan’s domestic gas needs while generating approximately $450 million annually in transit fees. The pipeline will extend from Afghanistan to Quetta and Multan in Pakistan before reaching Fazilka in India.
As part of the visit, the Turkmen foreign minister also inspected the construction of a fiber-optic communication line and a warehouse complex at the dry port of Turgundi railway station, located in Afghanistan’s northern Herat Province. Meredov further assessed progress on the Turgundi-Sanabar section of the Turgundi-Herat railroad.
The Times of Central Asia previously reported that construction of the Afghan section of the TAPI pipeline officially began on September 11, 2024.
Once operational, the TAPI pipeline will enable Turkmenistan — currently exporting natural gas primarily to China — to diversify its export routes. The project aligns with Turkmenistan’s broader plans to deliver gas across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Europe.
