India’s Role in Cabo Delgado oil and gas
New Delhi: The Cabo Delgado gasfield in Mozambique, in which Indian energy majors hold a 30% stake, is expected to resume production this month. India had invested in the project in order to improve gas supplies. ONGC Videsh holds 16%, while BPRL Ventures Mozambique BV, a subsidiary of BPCL, and Oil India Ltd hold 10% and 4% respectively. India has maintained an active interest in the resumption of operations at the plant. Mint reported in March that India was planning to send an expert team to Mozambique to examine whether the project could resume operations. Visits from Indian foreign ministry and petroleum officials have taken place in recent months. “It is one of the most prolific gas assets. It’s just a three-day journey from there to India. So, once the supplies start, it would significantly and immediately add to the LNG availability in the country,” said a person familiar with the project.
Queries to the ministries of external affairs and petroleum and natural gas remained unanswered at press time. Queries to BPCL, OIL and ONGC Videsh also went unanswered. India has been trying to widen its source base for its energy needs. The country currently depends on imports for as much as 85% of its oil needs and 55% of its natural gas demand. In FY23 (April-January), India imported LNG worth $14.88 billion, 36.46% higher than the $10.90 billion during the corresponding period in FY22. Qatar was the largest supplier to India so far, followed by the United Arab Emirates and the US.
Yet another attack on another Army position in Macomia
Amaq News Agency reported that insurgents last Monday (10.07) carried out yet another armed incursion in the region of Quiterajo, in the district of Macomia, in the province of Cabo Delgado, where they allegedly killed three soldiers and injured others.
According to a statement written in Arabic and accompanied by photos of the bodies of dead soldiers, tents or trenches burned and various weapons looted, the Amaq Agency says that the insurgents
“inflicted new casualties on the Mozambican forces with new attack in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.” The insurgents “surprised the national forces in their barracks, where they started by shooting and killing three soldiers, injuring others and others having moved away from the scene.” As stated in the communiqué published by Amaq, the insurgents burned structures and seized weapons and military equipment, including: medium machine guns, rocket launchers, mortars and various ammunition. Amaq stated that the attack follows the last attack that took place on June 30 against Mozambican forces and allies that left about “13 dead and 3 arrested” during the attack in Macomia.
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