NEW DELHI, July 21 (UPI) -- A Russian gas pipeline along its southern border to India may be among the largest projects of its kind in history, the Russian envoy to New Delhi said.

India is working on enhancing energy security and addressing its growing needs for natural gas. The country's government has expressed interest in separate gas pipelines from Turkmenistan and Iran.


Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed building a pipeline last week with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin told Indian business newspaper The Hindu the new gas pipeline would take five years to complete and cost an estimated $40 billion to build.

The pipeline would run along the southern border of Russian to India through the Himalayan region or mirror the route of the planned pipeline from Turkmenistan.

"If implemented, such a pipeline, now seemingly futuristic, would be the biggest ever energy project in history, which would enhance India's energy security," he said in an interview published Sunday.

The Indian government in April said it expected natural gas demand to more than double by the beginning of the next decade.