Centre Not Pursuing Deep Sea Project Connecting Gujarat With Oman

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday dismissed the recent media reports that suggested India was actively pursuing a proposed deep-sea energy pipeline connecting Gujarat with Oman and other Gulf nations. The statement comes amid media reports on a decades-old proposal for a nearly 2,000-km sub-sea natural gas pipeline between Oman and Gujarat, describing that a potential solution to energy security concerns may arise from geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

In a statement, the ministry of petroleum and natural gas said that it had taken note of reports referring to a proposed Middle East-India Deepwater Pipeline (MEIDP), linking Gujarat with Oman and potentially other Gulf nations. “The ministry wishes to categorically clarify that no such proposal is currently under consideration. There are no active discussions or negotiations with Oman or any other Gulf countries on this project at any level,” it said.

The proposed pipeline, estimated to cost around Rs 40,000 crore, has been examined periodically over the past three decades but never moved beyond the planning stage because of high costs, technological challenges and concerns over commercial viability. However, industry sources have said that the clarification is intended to ensure accurate public understanding of India’s energy infrastructure plans and international energy partnerships.

The project has been promoted by South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), which has said it conducted technical and financial assessments and seabed surveys for the proposed route. As per the project proposals, the pipeline would transport natural gas directly from Oman to India's western coast through one of the deepest sub-sea routes ever attempted, with sections lying more than 3,000 metres below sea level.