Iran War Breathes New Life Into Turkmenistan’s $10 Billion Pipeline Dream

AI Summary

Turkmenistan says construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline has reached the outskirts of Herat, with commissioning targeted by the end of 2026. The Iran war has revived interest in the long-delayed, $10 billion project, which would carry gas across Afghanistan toward Pakistan and India.

At an energy forum in Ashgabat in late October, Turkmenistan made an unexpected announcement. After years of delays and speculation that the project would be canceled, the forum audience was told the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline had just reached "the outskirts of Herat" and would be "commissioned by the end of 2026." Depending on one's definition of "outskirts" for the northwestern Afghan city, that first claim appears to be true. Satellite images made on November 7 show the natural gas pipeline extending from Turkmenistan's…