This article covers trade and economic links between India and Turkmenistan: bilateral trade figures, the main goods traded, transport corridors, the TAPI gas pipeline project and recent business contacts. It is based on the MEA brief of June 2026, and all figures are given as they appear there.

Bilateral trade

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, India-Turkmenistan trade has grown steadily in recent years despite the challenges related to the lack of direct overland connectivity. Major items of export from India to Turkmenistan are pharmaceuticals, sugar, bovine meat, machinery, and electronic and electrical items. Turkmenistan's exports to India mostly comprise fertilizers, mineral fuels and inorganic chemicals.

The brief gives the following figures from the Department of Commerce, GoI, in US$ million:

  • 2021-22: total trade 114.36, India's imports from Turkmenistan 10.07, India's exports to Turkmenistan 104.29
  • 2022-23: total trade 192.01, imports 101.72, exports 90.29
  • 2023-24: total trade 112.39, imports 74.93, exports 37.46
  • 2024-25: total trade 217.50, imports 163.34, exports 54.16
  • 2025-26: total trade 278.16, imports 186.30, exports 91.86

The brief introduces these as figures since FY 2020-21, but its table begins with 2021-22.

Transport and transit corridors

India joined the Agreement on the Establishment of an International Transport and Transit Corridor (Ashgabat Agreement) in February 2018. The Agreement envisages an international transport and transit corridor between Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

According to the brief, Turkmenistan has supported the use of Chabahar Port in Iran for trade with India and has expressed interest in joining the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Turkmenistan also took part in the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group on Chabahar Port, held in Mumbai in April 2023.

The TAPI gas pipeline

The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project has been the subject of several Indian visits. The then Vice President, Shri Mohammed Hamid Ansari, took part in the ground-breaking ceremony of the project in Mary on 13 December 2015.

The then Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri M.J. Akbar, took part in the 25th Session of the Steering Committee on Implementation of TAPI Pipeline project, held in Mary on 22 February 2018. He also attended the ground-breaking ceremony of the project in Serhetabat.

The annexure to the brief lists a series of visits to Ashgabat by India's petroleum ministry leadership:

  • Shri Dinsha Patel, Minister of State Petroleum and Natural Gas, February 2006
  • Shri R.S. Pandey, Secretary, MoPNG, April 2009
  • Shri Murli Deora, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, December 2010
  • Shri S. Jaipal Reddy, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, May 2012
  • Dr. M. Veerappa Moily, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, July 2013
  • Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, November 2014

The Chairman of the State Concern "Turkmengaz", Mr. Maksat Babayev, took part in the Energy Ministers' Session of the 3rd Voice of the Global South Summit in August 2024. A bilateral MoU in the field of chemicals was signed in 2015, as listed in the development article.

Trade and business contacts

Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan Mr. Nazar Agahanov visited India and met Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada on 24 July 2025. Deputy Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations Mr. Kerimberdi Gurbanov took part in the 30th CII Partnership Summit held on 14-15 November 2025 in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

A Turkmen delegation led by Mr. Mergen Gurdov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Turkmenistan, took part in the India-Central Asia Business Council meeting in New Delhi on 5 June 2025. The meeting was jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

At government level, trade and economic questions fall within the remit of the Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, described in the relations article.