Turkmenistan signs deal with India, Pakistan
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| Source: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives |
India was represented by state owned Gail Ltd while Pakistan was represented by privately run Pakistan's Inter State Gas System. Deal was signed in Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. Pipeline is projected to be operational in 2018.
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan could not reach sales agreement but signed memorandum of understanding on long term gas cooperation
It was widely believed that gas for this pipeline would be sourced from Daulatabad field on the southern border of Turkmenistan. An official from the state gas company said that a portion of the fuel will eventually be drawn from the vast and yet-to-be developed South Yolotan field near the Afghan border.
Cabinet approves TAPI gas pipeline
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the proposal of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas to permit GA1L( India) Limited to sign the Gas Sale & Purchase Agreement (GSPA) with TurrnenGas, Turkmenistan's national oil company, for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline Project.
The estimated cost of the pipeline is US $ 7.6 billion and it would carry 90 MMSCMD gas.
The TAPI Gas Pipeline is envisaged to be 1680 Km in length (144 Km in Turkmenistan, 735 Kin in Afghanistan & 800 Km in Pakistan) with a capacity of 90 MMSCMD of gas, with 38 MMSCMD each for India and Pakistan and the remaining 14 MMSCMD for Afghanistan.
The pipeline from Turkeministan's South Yolotan field, now renamed as Galkynysh, will run to Herat and Kandahar province of Afghanistan, before entering Pakistan. In Pakistan, it will reach Multan via Quetta before ending at Fazilka (Punjab) in India.
The Pipeline is expected to be operational in 2018 and supply gas over a 30 years period.
ADB is playing the role of lead facilitator for the Project.
The United States supports TAPI pipeline project as an alternative to Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline as the project would isolate Iran.
The Project will help to promote energy security of the participating countries and strength regional cooperation.
The provisions of the GSPA have been prepared to protect India's commercial interests as India is at the tail end of the pipeline. Afghanistan and Pakistan have committed to the safety and security of the pipeline through the Inter-Governmental Agreement and the Gas Purchase Framework Agreement signed among the four countries in December, 2010.
India was formally admitted as a member of the TAPI Project in April 2008 at a meeting held on 23 - 24 April, 2008 at Islamabad. Shri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas represented India in the meeting. It’s worth noting that the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) project was initially conceived in the year 2002.
ADB is playing the role of lead facilitator for the Project.
The United States supports TAPI pipeline project as an alternative to Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline as the project would isolate Iran.
The Project will help to promote energy security of the participating countries and strength regional cooperation.
The provisions of the GSPA have been prepared to protect India's commercial interests as India is at the tail end of the pipeline. Afghanistan and Pakistan have committed to the safety and security of the pipeline through the Inter-Governmental Agreement and the Gas Purchase Framework Agreement signed among the four countries in December, 2010.
India was formally admitted as a member of the TAPI Project in April 2008 at a meeting held on 23 - 24 April, 2008 at Islamabad. Shri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas represented India in the meeting. It’s worth noting that the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) project was initially conceived in the year 2002.
Amendment to Constitution underway to enable land exchange with Bangladesh
External Affairs Minister, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, on Thursday (May 17) said that the government is drafting amendment to the Constitution to facilitate the exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh. There are 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in India.
In a letter to CPI leader Prabodh Panda, Krishna said, "The government is committed to the earliest implementation of the Protocol and Land Boundary Agreement that would result in exchange of enclaves."
The Protocol and the Agreement, signed between our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 6 last year require ratification by both governments.
Krishna held that the ratification necessitates an amendment of the constitution and preparatory steps to place a draft amendment bill before Parliament are underway.
His letter was in response to Senior CPI leader Prabodh Panda’s demand in Loksabha on May 3 for an answer from the government about the steps being taken to resolve Indo Bangla Enclaves issue.
Panda said that the number of Indians living in enclaves in Bangladesh was 37,100 and Bangladeshis living here was 14,200, as per the latest census carried out jointly by both countries.
Indian enclaves in Bangladesh occupy 17,149 acres of land while Bangla enclaves in India take up 7,110 acres of land, he said in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour.
Panda expressed his concern by saying, "These large numbers of people of both countries are deprived of political rights and they do not enjoy social facilities that are necessary for development of individuals in a free society."
The Protocol and the Agreement, signed between our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 6 last year require ratification by both governments.
Krishna held that the ratification necessitates an amendment of the constitution and preparatory steps to place a draft amendment bill before Parliament are underway.
His letter was in response to Senior CPI leader Prabodh Panda’s demand in Loksabha on May 3 for an answer from the government about the steps being taken to resolve Indo Bangla Enclaves issue.
Panda said that the number of Indians living in enclaves in Bangladesh was 37,100 and Bangladeshis living here was 14,200, as per the latest census carried out jointly by both countries.
Indian enclaves in Bangladesh occupy 17,149 acres of land while Bangla enclaves in India take up 7,110 acres of land, he said in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour.
Panda expressed his concern by saying, "These large numbers of people of both countries are deprived of political rights and they do not enjoy social facilities that are necessary for development of individuals in a free society."
"BJP not to back amendment unless satisfied with merits of Land Swap Deal"
New Delhi: Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader S S Ahluwalia said that his party would not support the Constitutional Amendment Bill in connection with the Land Swap Deal between India and Bangladesh unless satisfied with the merits of the same.
“After the Winter Session of the Parliament, National Security Advisor (NSA) Shiv Shankar Menon met Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively. Sushma Swaraj asked Menon to provide a detailed presentation on the Land Swap Deal in order to convince the party that the deal was in the national interest. Our contention was to ensure that India did not become a loser as a result of the deal. However, Menon never came back to us after that," Ahluwalia told the The Yomiuri Shimbun.
“We are still waiting for the government to respond to our request to discuss the merits and demerits of the deal. We are not against the Deal per se but at the same time, we would not support it unless convinced and satisfied with its substance," he stated.
On September 9 last year, the BJP formed a group headed by S S Ahluwalia to study the contents and repercussions of the Land Swap Agreement signed between India and Bangladesh three days before on September 6.
Ahluwalia revealed to the The Yomiuri Shimbun that he found people living in these enclaves in a state of extreme misery.
"These people are not clear about their future. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre is not making any infrastructural development in these areas because it would in any case be exchanged with Bangladeshi enclaves. There is scarcity of everything in these enclaves, needless to say that water and power supply are a major issue," the BJP leader said.
Ahluwalia, who failed to save his seat in Rajya Sabha polls in Jharkhand last week, said that the agreement pertaining to exchange of enclaves between the two countries requires alteration of territory.
"According to the Indian Constitution, any alteration of territory or boundary requires statutory amendment. The BJP is opposed to this deal as till date we are not sure of what we stand to gain out of the same. We want to ascertain the exact mass of barren and fertile land held by Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves on both sides of the border which would form the subject matter of exchange," Ahluwalia averred.
“The UPA government signed the deal with Bangladesh without taking into confidence the elected representatives of the people. Before signing the deal, they should have at least spoken to the members of the legislative assemblies of the states concerned viz., West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram as also the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But our government at the Centre led by Congress did not deem it proper to seek their opinion on such a crucial matter," he added.
The veteran BJP leader also deplored the failure on the part of the UPA government to prepare the draft of the Constitutional Amendment required to effect the Deal.
"We are certainly not expecting it to be prepared and tabled even in the Monsoon Session due to upcoming Presidential elections," he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has asked the government to urgently take up the issue of exchange of enclaves with Bangladesh. The party feels that such a move would provide relief to people living in these areas.
Observing that the problem of exchange of these enclaves was persisting since Independence due to lack of political will, CPI Member Prabodh Panda told the The Yomiuri Shimbun that "these large number of people of both countries are deprived of political rights and they do not enjoy social facilities that are necessary for development of individuals in a free society."
"I strongly urge the central government to take up the issue urgently with the government of Bangladesh and provide relief to the citizens of both the countries living in these enclaves", he said.
“After the Winter Session of the Parliament, National Security Advisor (NSA) Shiv Shankar Menon met Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively. Sushma Swaraj asked Menon to provide a detailed presentation on the Land Swap Deal in order to convince the party that the deal was in the national interest. Our contention was to ensure that India did not become a loser as a result of the deal. However, Menon never came back to us after that," Ahluwalia told the The Yomiuri Shimbun.
“We are still waiting for the government to respond to our request to discuss the merits and demerits of the deal. We are not against the Deal per se but at the same time, we would not support it unless convinced and satisfied with its substance," he stated.
On September 9 last year, the BJP formed a group headed by S S Ahluwalia to study the contents and repercussions of the Land Swap Agreement signed between India and Bangladesh three days before on September 6.
Ahluwalia revealed to the The Yomiuri Shimbun that he found people living in these enclaves in a state of extreme misery.
"These people are not clear about their future. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre is not making any infrastructural development in these areas because it would in any case be exchanged with Bangladeshi enclaves. There is scarcity of everything in these enclaves, needless to say that water and power supply are a major issue," the BJP leader said.
Ahluwalia, who failed to save his seat in Rajya Sabha polls in Jharkhand last week, said that the agreement pertaining to exchange of enclaves between the two countries requires alteration of territory.
"According to the Indian Constitution, any alteration of territory or boundary requires statutory amendment. The BJP is opposed to this deal as till date we are not sure of what we stand to gain out of the same. We want to ascertain the exact mass of barren and fertile land held by Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves on both sides of the border which would form the subject matter of exchange," Ahluwalia averred.
“The UPA government signed the deal with Bangladesh without taking into confidence the elected representatives of the people. Before signing the deal, they should have at least spoken to the members of the legislative assemblies of the states concerned viz., West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram as also the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But our government at the Centre led by Congress did not deem it proper to seek their opinion on such a crucial matter," he added.
The veteran BJP leader also deplored the failure on the part of the UPA government to prepare the draft of the Constitutional Amendment required to effect the Deal.
"We are certainly not expecting it to be prepared and tabled even in the Monsoon Session due to upcoming Presidential elections," he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has asked the government to urgently take up the issue of exchange of enclaves with Bangladesh. The party feels that such a move would provide relief to people living in these areas.
Observing that the problem of exchange of these enclaves was persisting since Independence due to lack of political will, CPI Member Prabodh Panda told the The Yomiuri Shimbun that "these large number of people of both countries are deprived of political rights and they do not enjoy social facilities that are necessary for development of individuals in a free society."
"I strongly urge the central government to take up the issue urgently with the government of Bangladesh and provide relief to the citizens of both the countries living in these enclaves", he said.
India reacts to China, Philippines stand off, withdraws from South China Sea
New Delhi, May 10: India Thursday expressed concern over territorial stand-off between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea and asked both countries to exercise restraint and resolve the issue diplomatically as per international law.
"We have been following with concern recent developments involving China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Maintenance of peace and security in the region is of vital interest to the international community. India urges both countries to exercise restraint and resolve the issue diplomatically according to principles of international law," Syed Akbaruddin, official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The face-off between two countries started on April 8 when Philippine naval ship spotted eight Chinese fishing vessels at the Shoal.
A number of Chinese and Philippine fishery and coastguard ships remain stationed at the shoal, with both sides refusing to withdraw.
Both sides accuse each other of intruding into territorial waters.
The Philippines insist its claim to the Shoal is backed by international law, as the area is well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia also claim parts of the sea.
But China claims almost the entire region, which is believed to contain large oil and natural gas deposits.
In past China raised objections to Indian exploration projects in Vietnamese oil blocks in South China Sea. India always upheld that its projects were commercial in nature and the territorial disputes should be resolved as per the international laws.
India has finally decided to withdraw its exploration projects in Vietnamese oil blocks claiming that that block 128 had low prospects of producing hydrocarbons; Vietnam doubted if this was due to pressure from China. Three years ago ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) returned block 127, adjacent to 128, to Vietnam with the same claim of low hydrocarbons production potential.
Vietnamese diplomats expressed disappointment taking into account that Hanoi always stood up to Beijing whenever it objected to the contract given to India for oil exploration in the Phu Khanh Basin.
Both sides accuse each other of intruding into territorial waters.
The Philippines insist its claim to the Shoal is backed by international law, as the area is well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia also claim parts of the sea.
But China claims almost the entire region, which is believed to contain large oil and natural gas deposits.
In past China raised objections to Indian exploration projects in Vietnamese oil blocks in South China Sea. India always upheld that its projects were commercial in nature and the territorial disputes should be resolved as per the international laws.
India has finally decided to withdraw its exploration projects in Vietnamese oil blocks claiming that that block 128 had low prospects of producing hydrocarbons; Vietnam doubted if this was due to pressure from China. Three years ago ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) returned block 127, adjacent to 128, to Vietnam with the same claim of low hydrocarbons production potential.
Vietnamese diplomats expressed disappointment taking into account that Hanoi always stood up to Beijing whenever it objected to the contract given to India for oil exploration in the Phu Khanh Basin.
Iran oil import: India not to come under pressure
New Delhi, May 9: External Affairs Minister SM Krishna Tuesday met US secretary of State Hillary Clinton in order to boost bilateral relationship and expressed satisfaction over the progress in economic relationship and hoped for it to grow faster.
The discussion covered range of issues such as security and economic development of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Asia Pacific, Indian Ocean region (IOR), China, Bangladesh, and commercial cooperation in civil nuclear energy,.
Krishna raised the issue of difficulties faced by professional, especially IT companies on mobility and protectionist sentiments in the U.S. with regard to global supply chain in services industry.
Both Krishna and Clinton urged Pakistan to make greater efforts to combat violent extremism.
Clinton underlined that Pakistan needs to ensure that its territory is not used as launching pads for terrorist attacks anywhere.
“Recent attacks in Kabul highlight once again the need for elimination of terrorist sanctuaries in the neighborhood and the need for stronger action from Pakistan on terrorism, including on bringing to justice the perpetrators of Mumbai terrorist attack,” Krishna averred.
Clinton expressed contentment in the progress in trade and investment between India and the U.S. “We have come a long way. When I first visited India in 1995, trade stood at nine billion dollars, and this year we expect to surpass 100 billion dollars,” she said.
Clinton lauded the India’s progress in reducing its purchases of oil from Iran, and expected further cut in oil imports to build pressure on Iran in order to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons but Krishna made it clear that Iran is a key country for India’s energy needs and it is an important source of oil for India and the decline in oil import is nothing but the result of decision by refineries on the basis of commercial, financial and technical considerations.
Krishna held that Iran had rights as a member of NPT, but it must also abide by its obligations as a non-nuclear weapons state under the NPT.
He reiterated that India’s position on the nuclear issue has been clear and consistent and that it pledges to implement the UN Security Council Resolutions.
Yesterday’s meeting was a preparatory step for strategic dialogue in June in Washington DC.
Future of India Bangladesh enclaves
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Image from Deccanherald
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Enclaves, also known as Chhit Mahals, are outlying and
detached tracks of land situated inside Cooch Behar district. There are 51 such
Bangladesh enclaves located in Indian Territory covering 7110.02 acres of land
with population 14215. Similarly there are 111 Indian enclaves in Rangpur
district of Bangladesh covering 17158.13 acres of land having population 37,334.
People inside these enclaves are treated as foreigners. They are deprived of
human rights being enjoyed by people in their respective countries They do not
have access to facilities such as health, basic education, electricity, clean
drinking water and decent livelihood. They live in abject poverty. The
estimation of their average income is less than Rs 17 per day. They are not
included in census and have no proof of their Indian citizenship.
There is a state of lawlessness. They have no access
to administration of the respective countries. If there is any crime, residents
of these enclaves cannot complain in local police station nor can they move to
respective country police station.
None of the enclaves in India has access to Bangladesh except for
Dahagram-Angaporta Enclaves which have access to its motherland through Tinbigha
corridor. Tinbigha corridor is a strip of land situated 10 km south east
of Mekhliganj sub divisional town measuring about 178 metres x 85 metres in
dimension. It is located between the Bangladesh enclaves of Dahagram and
Angorpota on the west and Panbari Mouza of Bangladesh on the east.
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| Image from Coochbehar.nic.in |
Tinbigha corridor was inaugurated on June 26,
1992 as a result of agreement between Governments of two countries.
So far three agreements have been signed between India and
Bangladesh Government for exchange of enclaves, First being Indira-Mujib
Agreement in 1974 and second Indira-Ershad Agreement in 1982 and the latest on
September 06, 2011. None of these agreements has been implemented.
“The agreement remains on paper. Practical implementation
doesn’t happen. Only reason is lack of political will”, says Diptiman Sengupta,
coordinator of Bharat Bangladesh enclave exchange coordination committee
(BBEECC).
“In 1947, India got independence, afterwards it acquired
Cooch Behar, Portugal, Sikkim but for all these, agreements were not signed;
they were just acquired and taken control of, then why in India-Bangladesh
enclave case agreements are being signed. It only reflects lack of political
will. Thirty eight years have passed since first agreement was signed. No
implementation took place. There is no scope of implementation even now”, said
Diptiman.
The India Bangladesh land swap agreement
which entails exchange of enclaves requires constitutional amendment for it
requires demarcation of boundary. Two-third of support is required in both
houses to pass the bill. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and UPA ally Trinamool
Congress seem to be upset with the move and do not want to support.
To get the backing of opposition National Security
Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon approached Sushma Swaraj, opposition leader in
Loksabha and Arun Jaitley, opposition leader in Rajya Sabha but his effort
failed to fructify.
BJP party led committee headed by S.S. Ahluwalia visited
these enclaves to check the ground reality. There is anger among residents, they
are not happy with this agreement. Any agreement signed should consider
national interest and people concerned, said S.S. Ahluwalia.
Well, as long as Government doesn’t get backing of
opposition and its own ally to make it reach two-third of majority in
parliament, it can’t pass constitutional amendment bill and consequently the
agreement will remain on papers.
Hillary to hardsell FDI to Mamata
Top priority of Hillary Clinton’s visit here is meeting with Mamata Banerjee. Before she meets SM Krishna in New Delhi, she wants to meet Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on 7th May. Of course, aim of this visit is to review progress in the strategic partnership as a preparatory step for the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue to be held in Washington, D.C. on June 13, to be co-chaired by Secretary Clinton and Indian Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna but why is it that she is doing this important work on the second day of her visit.
Very clearly, her visit aims at changing the attitude of Ms Mamata Banerjee towards Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) who has been reason for withdrawal of Government decision to bring FDI in multibrand retail which would have paved the way for opening of global retail stores like walmart, Carrefour and Tesco in major Indian cities. This decision would have opened the sector to foreign investment resulting in great economic reform but Mamata Banerjee being pro-poor believed it to be against farmers and did not allow it to happen and said more discussion was required on this issue.
Mamata’s Trinamool Congress is the second largest party in coalition Government having 19 members in Loksabha and 9 members in Rajya Sabha which can anytime do arm twisting to get its decisions accepted by Government, latest one being resignation by Dinesh Trivedi, Railway Minister for passenger fare unacceptable to Didi ji. United Progressive Alliance (UPA) cannot afford to anger Mamata Banerjee or it would fall flat on ground. Let’s see if Hillary can please our “difficult to please” Didi.
India: Country of no systematization
If you want to interview some senior official be it from some ministry
or public sector undertaking (PSU), you will die calling but you would not get
positive response. The time would come when they would even stop taking your calls.
There is no courtesy or consideration. If you want information, file an RTI
application and wait for 30 days. Government knows slow pace of its people, that’s
why prescribed 30 days for a query to be responded. Till that time news would
be stale and you would be working on some other news story. There is no
resolution to this problem because our country is moving at snail pace in terms
of improving system and bringing relevant bills. Years pass on but bills which
concern common people remain with parliament for consideration, courtesy bad dramatic
politics. If you have patience, wait, else change your line. There
is no better option.
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