Maria Imran 
Construction on the 153-kilometre Serhetabat-Herat section inside Afghanistan is advancing steadily on the TAPI pipeline Pakistan. Around 700 Turkmen specialists and more than 250 units of construction and specialised equipment have been deployed, with the Galkynysh field providing the gas resource base.
The wider TAPI pipeline is planned to run about 1,814 kilometres from Turkmenistan to the Indian border, with a designed capacity of 33 billion cubic metres annually. High-level Turkmen-Afghan talks in August 2026 have added further momentum to the project.
Energy Security Gains for TAPI pipeline Pakistan
Pakistan and India are each expected to receive 47.5% of the contracted volumes, with Afghanistan receiving the remaining 5%, according to the Asian Development Bank. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes TAPI as part of the national energy security strategy, supported by the Joint Implementation Plan signed with Ashgabat in 2023.
Maliha Mehmood of the Institute of Regional Studies says a land-based source of gas would reduce reliance on seaborne supplies. It would also provide a valuable alternative when LNG prices or maritime routes come under pressure, while strengthening Pakistan’s position as an energy transit state linking Central Asia with South Asian markets.
Commercial Competitiveness Will Shape the Policy Case
Dr Masood Ahmed of the National University of Modern Languages says the delivered cost of TAPI gas will need to be compared with LNG and other supply options. Transit fees, financing costs and security arrangements will also decide sustainability, and reliable gas at prices that support industry and fertiliser production would carry significant economic value.
Predictable demand, payment security and stable contractual arrangements remain essential, as cross-border pipelines need sustained commercial flows over many years to recover investment costs. Accelerating legal, commercial and infrastructure preparation would allow Pakistan to turn the renewed momentum into a competitive and bankable supply option.
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