The exiled leadership of the Baloch separatist movement has announced an ambitious proposal to supply India and Afghanistan with oil and natural gas through two major energy corridors, a plan they say would reshape trade and security dynamics across South and Central Asia.
In a statement posted on social media on Tuesday, leaders of the self-declared “Republic of Balochistan” outlined plans for two pipeline projects that would run through regions currently inside Pakistan’s borders. Pakistan has long denied Baloch nationalist claims of sovereignty and continues to combat separatist insurgencies in the province.
Two Proposed Pipelines
The first proposal, the Balochistan–Bharat Gas & Oil Pipeline (BBGOP), would connect the gas-rich Sui region of Dera Bugti to India’s Rajasthan border through territory the separatists refer to as the “Kashmire region of Balochistan.” According to the statement, the route—estimated at roughly 700 kilometers—would offer India a “stable, secure, and cost-efficient energy supply.”
The second plan, the Balochistan–Afghanistan Gas & Oil Pipeline (BAGOP), would link Kalat to Kabul via Nushki and an alternate route from Sui to Afghanistan’s Chaman border. Separatist leaders said the corridor, between 200 and 650 kilometers depending on the route, would provide Afghanistan with “reliable and affordable energy” and support its ambitions to become a regional transit hub.
Neither project has been acknowledged by the governments of India, Afghanistan, or Pakistan, nor have feasibility studies or international agreements been announced.
Requests for Support From India
In exchange for long-term energy cooperation, Baloch separatist leaders said they seek Indian assistance in several strategic areas, including skilled labor, infrastructure technology, defense equipment, and support for mineral extraction.
They argued such cooperation would “accelerate nation-building” in a future independent Baloch state—a goal India has not publicly endorsed.
New Delhi has historically denied supporting any separatist movement inside Pakistan.
Proposed Trade Access for Afghanistan
The group also proposed a corridor-based partnership with Afghanistan, offering “prioritized access” to the port of Gwadar—currently operated by Pakistan and China—should Baloch separatist ambitions be realized. In return, Afghanistan would provide road access to Central Asian markets, the statement said.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government has not publicly commented on the proposal.
Regional Implications
If realized, the pipelines would represent a radical reconfiguration of regional energy and trade routes. But analysts caution that the proposals remain largely aspirational given the separatists’ lack of territorial control and the geopolitical tensions surrounding Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan.
Pakistan has long accused India of supporting insurgents in Balochistan, a charge New Delhi denies. Islamabad has also heavily invested in the Gwadar region as part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
In their statement, separatist leaders framed the initiative as an opportunity to “avoid sanctions, save time, and prevent unnecessary conflicts,” arguing that regional cooperation would produce mutual economic benefits.
“The future is ours—shared, secure, and built on cooperation,” the message concluded.
