Early this month, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora denied reports that India has quit plans to build the gas pipeline with Iran and Pakistan. 'With Iran the question is still open, but because of the political situation in Pakistan, just now there is a little bit of a stop on that,' he had said.

The project, termed as the peace pipeline due to its potential to bring together the three countries and spread prosperity in the region, was signed by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the tripartite summit on Afghanistan security in Tehran in May.