India and Bangladesh inaugurate first cross-border energy pipeline

The Government of India and the Government of Bangladesh have inaugurated the Siliguri-Parbatipur product pipeline project. The project, also known as the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, involves laying a 130 km pipeline from Numaligarh Refinery Limited’s Siliguri marketing terminal in West Bengal to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation’s petroleum product storage depot at Parbatipur in Bangladesh for the transportation of high-speed diesel, at an estimated cost of Rs 3.77 billion. The pipeline has the capacity to supply 1 million tonnes per annum of diesel from the Numali­garh refinery to neighbouring countries. The fuel transport deal between the two countries will be in force for 15 years.