Iran-India pipeline to be discussed

"India's Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar will visit Islamabad in May to discuss modalities of the 4.16 billion dollar Iran-India gas pipeline via Pakistan and other issues of bilateral cooperation in hydrocarbon sector, reported the Press Trust of India," IRNA reported.

IRNA reported that he told reporters that Pakistani Prime Minister Shauqat Aziz has invited him to Islamabad in early April. "But as the dates mentioned by him do not suit me, I have postponed my trip to the second fortnight of May," he added.

IRNA said: Aiyar has scheduled his visit to Pakistan just before his June visit to Tehran to seal a deal for import of natural gas from Iran via a 2600-km onland pipeline, 760 kms of which will pass through Pakistan. New Delhi had previously stated it would deal only with Iran on the pipeline and it would be Tehran's job to get the Pakistani transit and guarantee gas delivery at Indian borders. "Aiyar will discuss issues like the pipeline route and transit fee with Pakistan, which will have an important bearing on the cost of the gas," a Petroleum Ministry official said.