India seeks stake in four oilfields in Kazakhstan

India has sought stakes in four Kazakhstan oilfields, including the giant Kashagan and Kurmangazy oilfields, and offered to build Kazakh-China pipeline and petrochemical plants in the former Soviet Republic to boost trade and economic ties with Central Asia. ONGC Videsh, the foreign arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), wants a stake in Tengiz and Kashagan oilfields and hugely prospective Kurmangazy and Darkhan exploration blocks and offered its technical expertise in exploration and production (E&P) In nine others, including Akku and Shetusy. State-owned gas utility GAIL (India) Ltd wants to participate in building pipelines from Kazakhstan to China for transporting crude. The possible routes of the pipelines are Ishim-Astana-Karaganda-China, West-East pipeline (KC Makhat-China) or Bukhara-Almaty branch trunk pipeline (KC Shalkar-KC Shamianovka-China). Besides, New Delhi proposed building gas processing and petrochemical plants at Atyrau and Akhtau.