Turkmenistan has officially commenced the construction of a crucial segment of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline that will extend into Afghanistan. The pipeline, which originates from Turkmenistan’s largest gas asset, the Galkynysh fields, aims to deliver natural gas to the Herat province in Afghanistan. This marks a significant step in the TAPI project, designed to eventually deliver up to 33 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
A ceremony marking the start of construction was attended by Afghanistan’s Prime Minister, Mohammad Hassan Akhund, and Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, chairman of Turkmenistan’s People’s Council. The latter’s son, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan, participated via video link from Ashgabat. The 150-kilometer segment, financed by Turkmenistan, will stretch from Serhetabat on the Turkmen-Afghan border to Herat, Afghanistan’s third-largest city.
Once fully operational, the TAPI pipeline will span over 800 kilometers in Afghanistan and more than 800 kilometers in Pakistan before reaching India. It is expected to pass through major Afghan provinces, including Herat, Farah, Nimroz, Helmand, and Kandahar, before reaching Quetta and Multan in Pakistan and ultimately Fazilka on the India-Pakistan border.
Turkmenistan has committed to covering the full construction costs for the pipeline in Afghanistan, as confirmed in a “host country agreement” signed between the Afghan government and the Turkmen-led TAPI Pipeline Company in August 2024. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum indicated that the pipeline segment in Herat is expected to be completed within two to three years, creating thousands of jobs and reducing gas prices in the region.
Despite the absence of formal gas purchase agreements with Pakistan and India, Turkmenistan has been advancing its portion of the pipeline. The Galkynysh fields, which hold an estimated 27 trillion cubic meters of recoverable gas, are expected to supply the project for decades. Turkmen authorities are actively seeking international investors to participate in further development phases of Galkynysh, emphasizing the asset’s vast potential.
The TAPI pipeline is part of Turkmenistan’s broader efforts to diversify its gas export routes. In addition to TAPI, work is also beginning on a new gas compression and pumping station in Turkmenistan’s Mary province, awarded to Turkey’s Calik Enerji. This station will support the East–West pipeline, a critical infrastructure project designed to transport gas from eastern Turkmenistan to the Caspian Sea, ultimately linking to Europe via a proposed subsea pipeline to Azerbaijan.
This project represents not only an economic lifeline for Afghanistan but also a broader geopolitical initiative to bring energy cooperation across Central and South Asia. The construction of TAPI highlights Turkmenistan’s commitment to developing its vast gas reserves and securing new export markets while fostering regional stability through energy collaboration.