Afghanistan and Turkmenistan have signed a memorandum of understanding on the purchase of gas under the TAPI pipeline project.
The MoU was signed on Monday, 10 August 2026, in Torghundi, Herat province, in the presence of Turkmenistan’s National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, according to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
The agreement was signed between Afghan Gas, a state-owned Afghan company, and Turkmenistan’s State Concern “Türkmengaz”.
Under the MoU, the two sides will specify the gas price, gas demand levels, and the gas distribution process.
The agreement comes as Kabul and Ashgabat seek to advance the TAPI project, which is designed to transport Turkmen gas through Afghanistan and Pakistan to India.
Earlier on Monday, Baradar and Berdimuhamedov discussed the progress of TAPI and broader energy and transport cooperation between the two countries in Torghundi.
During the meeting, Baradar called for an agreement on gas pricing and proposed a pricing formula that would limit the impact of sharp fluctuations in European gas markets on the price of gas supplied under the project. He also advocated a long-term gas agreement with simple terms and a flexible mechanism for reviewing the contract.
Beyond TAPI, the talks covered the development of regional transport links, including the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, transit of Afghan cargo through Turkmenbashi International Seaport and the rehabilitation and expansion of the Herat–Torghundi railway.
The high-level talks resulted in an agreement to establish a technical committee led by senior officials to oversee the implementation of the TAPI, TAP, fiber-optic, and railway projects and help ensure their timely progress.///nCa, 10 August 2026