Modi government attaches great importance to gas from Iran. Oil Ministry has ever proposal to restart the construction of gas pipe from Iran to India crossing though Pakistan. That is the third gas pipe that new Indian government strives to build.
Three months ago, Modi government supported the idea about building gas pipe from Turkmenistan to India crossing though Afghanistan and Pakistan. Otherwise, Modi government also brings the construction of gas pipe from Russia to India into the agenda of relationship between Russia and India.
Compared with two former plans, the gas pipe crossing Pakistan to India is more conspicuous. The pipe has been planned for more than 15 years. In fact, the plan was frozen because of international sanctions on Iran.
The cold relationship between Pakistan and India is also one of reasons for delaying the plan. Although both India and Pakistan need gas from Iran, India is always criticizing Pakistan for making political obstacle on construction of pipe during crisis. However, Pakistan does not accept criticism and it explains that it has fiscal difficulties and the prices plan is so high that they cannot afford it.
Nowadays, the plan has good international background. The Western has loosed the sanctions on Iran. Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan attended the inauguration of Modi which meant that the relationship between India and Pakistan may be improved. Sharif is the top leader of Pakistan who visiting to India. What is more, with Modi coming into power, India may build up new relationship with Pakistan.
900km gas pipe has been built up in India. In April, Abbasi, the Minister of Pakistan Oil & Natural Resources Department claimed that there had none of the factors to hinder the implementation of the plan. He also said that Pakistan would build 700km gas pipe by the end of 2014.
However, Jaime Khristenko, the specialist of Strategy Evaluation and Analysis Research Institute shows that new political obstacles on gas pipe cannot be eliminated completely.
The U.S. is always against Iran solidifying its own economic status. The policy does not depend on whether Iran has various international sanctions. The U.S. does not allow any countries which pursue policy without depending on it completely to exist in the Near East or Middle East. Iran is a thorn in side of the U.S. The U.S. has never changed its strategic point of view on this issue. It will be opposed to the plan for ever.
Experts claim that India will mention building gas pipe from Iran when negotiating with Kerry, Secretary of State. The negotiation will be held in New Deli by the end of June. Moli will try to grope the issue under new conditions before his visit to the U.S. in September. Gas will not cause shadow to meeting between Moli and Obama. Or else, it will be difficult for building up new relationship between India and the U.S. as the U.S. expects, especially under the background that India enhances its relationship with Pakistan and China.
