India ready to join Brussels-based Energy Charter
India is ready to join the Brussels-based Energy Charter in a move to ease tension with Pakistan over the risks of an overland pipeline from Iran.
Oil secretary Sushil Tripathi tells us India might first sign up to the 51-nation Charter as an observer. It looks like a good idea, he said.
Later we may join as a full member. On 16th February, Tripathi met Ria Kemper, Secretary General of the Energy Charter in Delhi.
Kemper and her team made a case for India joining the Charter as a way of mitigating securityof supply concerns, promoting energyinvestmentsin India and protecting Indian investmentsinother Energy Charter members.Tripathi said he would ask Indias external affairs ministry for its advice and invited Kemper to return to Delhi in April to make a full-day presentation.
In March,Energy Charter representatives are scheduled to visit Pakistan. Neither India, Pakistan or Iran is a member of the Charter but Iran is an observer.