Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP) on March 18, 2023 in a virtual mode.
- The foundation stone for the construction of this pipeline was laid by both Prime Ministers in September 2018.
Key points
- Numaligarh Refinery Limited has been supplying petroleum products to Bangladesh since 2015.
- This is the second cross-border energy pipeline between India and its neighbours.
- Cooperation in the power and energy sector has become one of the hallmarks of India-Bangladesh relations.
- IBFP is the first cross border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh with a capacity to transport 1 Million Metric Ton Per Annum (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) to Bangladesh.
- Enhanced connectivity with Bangladesh will further strengthen people to people linkages between two sides.
- The first cross-border friendship pipeline has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 377 crore, of which the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline built at a cost of approximately Rs 285 crore, has been borne by the government of India under grant assistance.
- The pipeline would carry fuel from NRL’s marketing terminal in Siliguri, West Bengal to the state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation’s (BPC) oil depot in Parbatipur city in Dinajpur District of the neighbouring country.
- The custody transfer point would be at the Banglabandha International border point in the suburbs of Siliguri.
- BPC would have sole marketing rights within Bangladesh.
