India, Sudan can cooperate in oil sector: Kalam

KHARTOUM, Oct. 21, 2003 (PTI) — India and Sudan can work together in building capabilities in various areas in the oil sector and exploitation of other natural resources that could fuel economic growth of the North African country, President A P J Abdul Kalam said today.

He identified oil exploration, refining, marketing and value-added oil based products as the specific areas where there could be bilateral cooperation.

“Exploitation of natural hydrocarbon and other natural resources by Sudan with the assistance of India could fuel economic growth of Sudan through many mission mode projects like the Vision 2020 of India,” Kalam said addressing the National Assembly of Sudan.

In the first high-profile visit by an Indian leader to Sudan in more than two decades, he noted that among the key resources of Sudan was hydrocarbon.

With a large part of the country still unexplored, hydrocarbon contribution to the national economy was likely to increase significantly in the future. Oil companies of India and other countries were participating in the discoveries of oil and gas in Sudan.