India is keen to examine the feasibility of importing power from an
electricity grid emanating from the hydropower surplus region of Central
Asia, as also helping to build mini hydel dams in the mountainous
region through which two major rivers flow.
According to Ajay Bisaria, joint secretary in the Eurasia division,
of the Ministry of External Affairs, India stands to benefit from the
Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project,
better known as CASA-1000, a new electricity transmission system to
connect the countries of hydropower producing countries of Kyrgyzstan
and Tajikistan with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Bisari, addressing a round table on 'Regional Water Security and
Riverine Disputes: Issues Common to Central and South Asia' here
Thursday, said India is keen to find out if a way can be found to import
the electricity from the CASA-1000."If there is a grid then India can benefit from the electricity
imported," he said at the event held at the India International Centre.
He said with India moving ahead with joining the TAPI or
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the technical
feasibility of joining the CASA-1000 could also be examined. Terming trans-boundary water disputes as contentious issues, he said
India consciously avoids getting drawn into water discourses during its
talks with other countries and instead "shares its experiences" with
them. Bisaria said India is helping Tajikistan upgrade its mini hydel
stations, including the 9.5 MW Vajrob. India is also in talks to set up a
mini hydel station in the landlocked Central Asian country bordering
Afghanistan to the south.
The roundtable was organised by think tank Society for Policy Studies in collaboration with Asia News Agency.
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