NEW DELHI, Dec 20: As reports came in on Wednesday that Iran has offered its trade corridor to Pakistan for exports to Central Asia and sought a similar facility from Pakistan for its exports to China, Indian officials were already eyeing a piece of the action for Delhi.
According to a report in the Indian Express on Tuesday, the Indian government is exploring possibilities to have a freight corridor connecting India with Iran on the western flank and with Myanmar, passing through China and going right up to Russia on the east.
“Since India already has connectivity with Pakistan on the western side, it could reach Iran and go right up to Middle East, if the 150-odd km distance between Pakistan and Iran can be bridged by a rail link,” Indian Railway Board Chairman J. P. Batra was quoted as saying.
He said while discussions for this link are on, the Indian government is not directly involved in them.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave a hint of this likelihood in Amrtisar on Wednesday. He recalled that Amritsar was a leading city, not only of India but also of the entire region. “It was the foremost centre for India’s trading and commercial relations with Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia,” he said
In view of improved ties with Pakistan, the prime minister said: “The movement of trucks between the two countries has also become simpler.”
