India Keen to Bid in Myanmar's Round

India is keen to participate in the forthcoming bid round in Myanmar, India’s oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on his official visit to the southeast Asian nation, according to a statement issued by Indian oil ministry February 22.

Presently, ONGC Videsh, the overseas arm of state owned ONGC and Gail have invested in gas producing blocks in Myanmar.

Pradhan’s visit is the first ministerial level visit between the two countries since October 2016 and also the first visit by an Indian oil minister in the last 12 years. During the visit, Pradhan met with Myanmar electricity and energy minister U Pe Zin Tun.

Pradhan tabled various proposals on participation by the Indian energy companies in Myanmar's midstream and downstream sectors, but they also discussed the topic of integrating the Indian gas grid with Myanmar in order to develop city gas networks on both sides of the border.

The current Indian government is keen to deepen energy relations with eastern neighbours like Bangladesh and Myanmar. India and Bangladesh are already discussing how a gas pipeline that would link their two countries to Myanmar might be financed. Indian state owned ONGC and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation are in negotiation to build the 6,900-km pipeline that would link Bangladesh, Myanmar and north-eastern states of India.

Shardul Sharma