President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday pressed for reviving the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline and using the Chabahar port to forge closer ties with the Persian Gulf nation.
The President while speaking at the conference on ‘Cooperative Development, Peace and Security in South and Central Asia’ organised by the Centre for Rural and Industrial Development here on Wednesday said, “India’s future dependence on imported energy, mainly oil and gas, is a stark reality that will also require creative and diversifying sources of supply. The Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline can be revived since Iran has already built the section of the pipeline in its territory. Such energy projects could prove to be game changers for geo-strategic stability.”
“India needs to make full use of the opportunities offered by the recent Iranian nuclear deal which opens the possibility of establishing connectivity with the region through the development of Chahbahar Port in Iran. This also opens up the possibility of implementing the International North South Corridor for a competitive and quick route to Eurasia for India,” he said.
In a deal reached in July with the US and other world powers, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in exchange of lifting of sanctions, which till now have been prohibiting Indian firms from investing in the energy-rich nation.
The President said the primary goal of India’s external engagement has been to seek peace and stability, enabling a supportive environment for pursuing nation’s multifarious development needs.
“This approach of foreign policy for economic progress and development is nowhere more relevant than in our South Asian neighbourhood and the extended neighbourhood, including Central Asia. Both South and Central Asia face enormous challenges with regard to development as well as security,” he added.
Mukerjee said the goals enshrined by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in foreign policy of the country remain relevant even today and have assumed greater salience in the era of economic liberalisation.
Appreciating current Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Central Government; the President said that the present Government has laid the required emphasis on pursuing closer fraternal ties with our South Asian neighbours from the very first days of its existence. This was reflected in the invitation to leaders of SAARC countries and Mauritius to attend the swearing in ceremony in May 2014.
The visit by Prime Minister to all the five Central Asian states countries in the region in July this year has provided the much needed impetus to our “Connect Central Asia” policy, said he.
Referring to strains in the relationship between Pakistan and India, he said, “With Pakistan, our efforts have not yielded the desired progress for reasons that are known to all of you.”
The resolution of the decades old land Boundary Agreement and settling the Maritime Boundary with Bangladesh, supply of water to the Maldives suffering from breakdown of water supply system, India’s immediate assistance to Nepal after the devastating earthquake, continuing its close cooperation with Bhutan, and pursuing proactive cooperation with the new Government in Sri lanka have all signaled India’s willingness to pursue this strategy, he said while elaborating on India’s associations with neighbouring nations.
Talking about the South Asian neighbours of India, he said they are India’s highest priority in keeping with its neighbourhood first policy. “Our approach to South Asia has always been one of seeking shared prosperity and security. Our South Asian neighbours are our most indispensable partners. The Government of India has articulated a desire to pursue a policy of three Cs - greater connectivity, closer cooperation and broader contacts to promote closer ties in the region.
“Despite geographical contiguity, the promise of regional integration has eluded us and undermined the goals of SAARC, solemnly adopted at Summit level meetings. Hence, India must push ahead with sub-regional cooperation such as through the BBIN Growth Quadrangle and pursue its bilateral ties with like-minded countries in the region in areas such as Road Transport, Energy and Water Resources,” added the President.