July 2, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 1,1424

NEW DELHI, July 1: Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha told a Southeast Asian ministerial meeting that India would study the feasibility of starting a train from New Delhi to pass through five regional capitals to wind up in Hanoi, a report said Tuesday.

According to The Indian Express newspaper, Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Win Aung proposed the continental train service to Sinha in talks at last month’s Southeast Asian ministerial meeting in Phnom Penh.

“Sinha responded favourably to the proposal and promptly asked for a feasibility study to be carried out at the earliest to take matters ahead,” the daily reported.

“Starting from New Delhi the route will pass through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and culminate in Hanoi in Vietnam,” it said.

“The immediate purpose of the project is to improve transport links. ... But in the long run the project aims at tapping the tremendous trade potential in the area.”

India’s foreign policy for Southeast Asia is tied strongly to expanding its economic presence in the region.—AFP