Turkmenistan plans to start supplying natural gas to Afghanistan by early 2027, as the construction of the Afghanistan segment of the multibillion-dollar TAPI pipeline progresses, the project's chief said.

Mohammad Murad Amanov, head of the TAPI Pipeline Project, told state media that work on Afghanistan's section is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

He said gas exports from Turkmenistan will commence once the Afghanistan infrastructure is operational. Negotiations with Pakistan on finalizing key agreements are also nearing completion.

“We are working to secure Pakistan's participation in agreements that will protect future investments and reassure investors, government agencies, and financial institutions,” Amanov said.

He added that more than 90% of the required contractual work is complete and talks are in their final phase.

The TAPI pipeline, spanning Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, is designed to deliver 33 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Turkmenistan's Galkynysh field. Turkmenistan has already finished its section of the pipeline.

TurkmenGas chief Maksat Babayev said initial exports to Afghanistan will be 500 million cubic meters per year, rising to 1.5 billion cubic meters as infrastructure expands, part of a long-delayed project seen as crucial for regional economic integration.

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