Photo: Bank of Lithuania

BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 3. Turkmenistan has reaffirmed its focus on attracting international investment for major energy projects, including the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline.

This was reflected in a statement published by Turkmenistan's state concern Turkmennebit on August 3 following a meeting reviewing the oil and gas sector's performance over the first seven months of 2026.

The meeting reviewed the performance of the oil and gas complex over the first seven months of 2026. Reports were presented by the heads of Turkmennebit, Turkmengaz, Turkmengeology and TAPI Pipeline Company Ltd., as well as executives of sectoral associations and enterprises.

"The priorities include diversifying export routes and strengthening mutually beneficial international partnership," the statement said.

Turkmenistan has consistently presented foreign investment as a key element of its long-term energy strategy. Speaking at the Turkmen-Chinese business forum in April, Minister of Finance and Economy Mammetguly Astangulov said the government was working to improve the investment climate by optimizing management and production processes and creating favorable conditions for new joint projects with international partners. He also noted that foreign investment accounted for about 10 percent of the country's economy at the end of 2025.

The investment agenda is particularly important for TAPI, one of the largest cross-border energy infrastructure projects in South and Central Asia. The pipeline, designed to transport 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, has long been expected to rely on broader participation from international investors and financial institutions alongside the four participating countries. Financing and commercial implementation have remained among the project's key challenges, with Turkmenistan repeatedly emphasizing the need to attract international partners to advance construction and support the pipeline's long-term operation.

To note, international investment has already featured prominently in discussions around TAPI this year. In February, Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov welcomed interest from Saudi Arabia's Delta International in investing in various components of the project, including gas purchases, pipeline expansion and related infrastructure.