India and Iraq Express Keen Interest in Setting up Refineries and Petrochemical Plants

India and Iraq have expressed keen interest in setting up refineries and petrochemical plants in Iraq.
 
According to an official statement issued in New Delhi, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas M Veerappa Moily led a 28-member delegation to participate in the 17th India-Iraq Joint Commission meeting in Baghdad, earlier this month.
 
During his visit, the Minister met Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Makiri, and said that Iraq was the second largest oil supplier to India after Saudi Arabia and emphasized on the need to deepen the relationship between the two countries through economic cooperation.
 
On his part, the Iraqi PM said that Iraq will have great interest in sectors connected with oil and gas especially petrochemicals, and both countries should start working immediately on cooperation in these sectors, the statement said.
 
According to the statement, Mr. Moily also met Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al Mutlaq, and discussed the areas of further cooperation in several sectors.
 
India also offered to work with Iraqi Public Sector Undertaking in order to exchange ideas and expertise that could help them in becoming more efficient and profitable.