Increase in Herat Province's Gas Share in the TAPI Project

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has reported a major increase in the volume of gas that Herat province will receive from the TAPI natural gas pipeline project.

According to Shafie Azam of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the province's allocation has grown from 500 million cubic meters to 4.3 billion cubic meters.

This boost is anticipated to have considerable positive effects on the local economy. Officials say using the gas in place of electricity for industrial and urban use could cut energy costs by 15 to 25 percent.

Economic experts Mirshakar Yaqubi and Abdul Shakur Hadewal pointed to broader benefits. They said that the use of one billion cubic meters of gas could lead to annual savings of about 900 million dollars while also creating up to 200,000 new job opportunities.

The project is also expected to increase transit revenues for Afghanistan.

Construction activities in Herat province are moving forward. More than 25 kilometers of the pipeline have already been installed, with work continuing on the first phase. This phase is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.

The TAPI project involves the transport of natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and on to Pakistan and India.

Both officials and experts have stressed that the project's overall success will require ongoing cooperation from the participating countries, especially Pakistan and India.