TEHRAN (FNA)- Indian Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan is expected to lead a delegation to Iran in the coming weeks to scout for opportunities in the oil and gas sector, following the end of sanctions on Tehran by the West, the ministry officials said.

The talks will cover the development of the Farzad-B field, revival of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline and the modernization of the oil and gas infrastructure in Iran, the Telegraph India reported.

"India is keen on strengthening ties with Iran, as we stood by them when sanctions were imposed by the US and the EU. The oil minister will soon be leading an Indian delegation to Tehran in the coming weeks to discuss energy co-operation between the two nations," a senior oil ministry official said.

An Indian delegation led by finance secretary Rajiv Mehrishi has just returned from Tehran. This delegation comprised officials from the finance, oil and natural gas ministries and the RBI.

Officials said they discussed the payment of $6 billion owed by PSU refiners for the purchase of crude oil. The payment could not be made because the international settlement channels were blocked by the West.

India is keen to increase crude imports from Iran after settling the dues. Iran supplied around 11 million tons (mt) of crude of the total imports of 190mt in the last fiscal, a share of 5 percent. Prior to the sanctions, imports were much higher at 18mt.

State-owned refiner IOC is planning to buy crude to operationalize its refinery at Paradip in Odisha.

The oil ministry hopes to convince Iran to let ONGC develop the Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf. It is one of the biggest gas field discoveries by an Indian company abroad. However, ONGC Videsh Ltd has shied away from investing nearly $7 billion because of the sanctions. The field has reserves of 12.8 trillion cubic feet of gas.

The country is also keen on reviving the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, which had been put on the backburner.

The development of the Chabahar port in Iran is also expected to pick up speed with the lifting of sanctions.

In 2003, India and Iran had agreed to develop Chabahar on the Oman Sea, near Iran's border with Pakistan, but the venture has moved slowly.

By Fars News Agency