New Delhi: India and its biggest LNG supplier Qatar on Friday agreed to set up a task force to identify projects in India for investment by the gas-rich Gulf nation, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
India imports 8.5 million tonnes per annum of gas in its liquid form (LNG) from Qatar under a long-term contract. It also buys LPG to meet the fast-expanding cooking gas requirements in the country.
"Had a telecall with HE Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President & CEO Qatar Petroleum on promoting Qatari investments in the entire energy value chain in India," Pradhan tweeted.
The call, he said, was a follow-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's discussion with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al-Thani on December 8.
"Minister Al-Kaabi and I have agreed to set up a Task Force on Energy, represented by VP of Qatar Petroleum and a senior officer from @PetroleumMin to identify specific projects in India's energy sector for Qatari investments," he said.
Qatar Petroleum, the national oil company of the Gulf nation, will be represented by the vice president (VP) in the task force, while the Indian side would be represented by a senior official from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
"I reiterated Qatar's role as a reliable supplier of LNG and LPG. We also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the energy sector and move beyond the buyer-seller relationship to a comprehensive one, including two-way investments," Pradhan said.
During the December 8 call between Modi and the Emir of Qatar, the two nations had agreed to create a special task force to explore and facilitate Qatari investments in India, including in the energy sector.