The current focus remains a 153-kilometer stretch connecting the Turkmen border at Serhetabat to Herat. While official Turkmen narratives highlight the deployment of 700 specialists and 300 units of machinery, the actual progress on the ground remains minimal. During the recent summit, the parties signed a letter of intent concerning gas shipments to Herat, yet this document lacks the essential economic architecture required for a functional energy corridor.

Negotiations have hit a familiar impasse regarding pricing and supply volumes. Ashgabat’s history of rigid export terms continues to clash with Afghan demands for flexible, long-term agreements. Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar explicitly urged for simplified conditions and a review mechanism, but the talks concluded without a breakthrough. Beyond the pipeline, Berdymukhamedov’s broader proposals—including power transmission lines, fiber-optic cables, and a unified logistics center—stayed firmly in the realm of rhetoric rather than actionable policy, leaving the project’s future as uncertain as ever.