A seven-member Pakistani delegation arrived in New Delhi Monday for talks on the proposed 4.5 billion US dollars (196 billion rupees) Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project that begin Tuesday.

The Pakistani delegation, led by Petroleum and Natural Resources Secretary Ahmed Waqar, will hold discussions with the Indian delegation, led by Petroleum Secretary S.C. Tripathi, on various aspects of the pipeline project.

This will be the first meeting of the joint working group that was set up during the visit of Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar to Pakistan last month.

"Both sides will review the latest developments and discuss all aspects of the pipeline project," Indo-Asian News Service quoted Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner Munawar Bhatti as saying.

The recent election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a known hard-liner as Iran's President, has fueled speculation about increased American pressure over Teheran over its nuclear program and cast a cloud over the future of the pipeline. But India and Pakistan have chosen to push ahead with the pipeline that's expected to bring substantial economic gains to both countries.

Last week, Indian External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh met Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kazakhstan capital Astana and the two renewed their resolve to push ahead with the pipeline project in their national interest.

The first tripartite meeting between Iran, Pakistan and India to discuss the pipeline will be held next month. Oil ministers of the three countries are expected to meet in Tehran by November-end to sign a deal for the pipeline.

Source: Xinhua