The joint-venture companies would comprise national oil companies from the three countries, the paper reports, quoting an unnamed senior Indian government official. "We can participate in either the construction of the pipeline or the operation, or even both, if such a participation guarantees safe delivery of gas," he said. The proposed 2,600-km pipeline, which is estimated to cost more than $7 billion to build, will start in Iran, pass through Pakistan and terminate in India. It will have a design capacity of 150 million cum/d. If the project is realized, India could initially buy up to 60 million cum/d of gas from Iran, while Pakistan could buy up to 30 million.