India Looking to Build LNG Terminal in Myanmar

As part of its plan to enhance energy cooperation with its neighbours, India is looking to build an LNG import terminal in Myanmar, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in New Delhi July 3. He was speaking at a seminar on 'Assessing India's Connectivity with Its Neighbourhood' in the Indian capital.

“Petronet LNG is working on setting up an LNG terminal in Myanmar,” Pradhan said. New Delhi is also working on setting up a natural gas pipeline from Numaligarh in the north-eastern state of Assam to Sittwe (in Myanmar) in different phases. “The gas pipeline will open future possibilities of gas exchange and grid connectivity,” the minister said.

India is also working on setting up an LNG terminal in Bangladesh. Recently, Petronet LNG submitted a concrete proposal to the Bangladeshi government to build a land-based LNG import terminal in the country. Petronet and Bangladesh state Petrobangla in late-2016 signed a memorandum of understanding to set up LNG import infrastructure.

In Sri Lanka, India is working on setting up an LNG terminal and a 500 MW gas-fired power plant near Colombo, Pradhan said. The minister added that India is looking to explore for gas in Bangladesh and Myanmar which have large reserves.

Expanding its energy footprint in its neighbourhood will not only help India meet its burgeoning energy demand, but also counter Chinese influence in the region, which has increased significantly in the past few years.