The Taliban has announced its readiness to begin construction on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, Daryo reported on February 28, citing a report by Etilaatroz.

The announcement follows a meeting between Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and his Turkmen counterpart, Rashid Muradov, during Muttaqi's visit to Turkmenistan.

Considered by the Taliban government to be "of great and strategic importance" for Turkmenistan, the TAPI project is one of the largest gas pipeline initiatives in the region. It aims to transport 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India through Afghanistan.

Originally launched in 2016 with a planned completion date of 2019, the project faced delays due to various challenges, including difficulties related to Afghanistan fulfilling its commitments and the resurgence of the Taliban in the region.

Despite the initial setbacks, the project encompasses plans for gas transmission and infrastructure development, including providing 500 kilowatts of electricity and constructing railway connections.

During their meeting, the foreign ministers of the Taliban and Turkmenistan discussed the TAPI project and explored ways to enhance trade relations, cooperate in the railway sector, and increase electricity imports to Afghanistan.

The 1,680-kilometer pipeline, with 735 kilometers passing through Afghanistan, is expected to generate more than $200 million in annual revenue for Afghanistan and create approximately 12,000 new jobs.