Afghan and Turkmen leaders visited the TAPI (Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India) gas pipeline site in Herat Province, Afghanistan, on Monday to survey progress on the long-delayed regional project that could reshape the energy and trade landscape of South and Central Asia.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, and Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund jointly inspected the Serhetabat–Herat section of the project, known as “Arkadagyň ak ýoly.” During the visit, both leaders inaugurated a new phase of construction and emphasized the project’s role in regional cooperation.
Berdimuhamedov described TAPI as one of Turkmenistan’s top strategic priorities, saying the project would “play a constructive role in the region’s economic stability.” Baradar, meanwhile, called TAPI “a crucial step toward regional connectivity and prosperity,” urging neighboring countries and international investors to “seize economic opportunities in Afghanistan.”
According to Afghan officials, approximately 14 kilometers of pipeline have been completed inside Afghanistan, with another 70 kilometers under construction. The Afghan portion of the pipeline is expected to be finished by the end of 2026. Once operational, TAPI will transport up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh field. Afghanistan will receive 5% of the gas for domestic use and earn more than $1 billion annually in transit fees.
The TAPI project, first conceptualized in the early 1990s, faced repeated delays due to decades of instability in Afghanistan. Construction began in 2018 but was suspended in 2021 following the Taliban’s return to power. Work resumed last year as security conditions stabilized, and the Taliban government prioritized infrastructure projects that could integrate Afghanistan into regional trade networks.
In parallel with TAPI, Turkmenistan is developing the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (TAP) 500-kilovolt power line, which will transmit electricity from Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan. The project, expected to be completed by 2028, will generate additional energy revenues and strengthen Afghanistan’s position as a regional energy corridor.
Since regaining power four years ago, the Taliban have sought to leverage Afghanistan’s location at the crossroads of Central, South, West, and East Asia to transform the country into a transport and energy hub. Officials in Kabul view projects like TAPI and TAP as essential for reviving Afghanistan’s war-torn economy after more than four decades of continuous conflict.